OUTBOUND LEARNING!
Each week students are taken from our center to the University School of Milwaukee, ManpowerGroup, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee School of Engineeing and Saint John's on the Lake where they are paired one-on-one to mentors and tutors. The programs, although all support homework and academic, each have an unique focus.
University School is a student to student mentoring program pairing elementary age students from ONG with high school students from USM. The program is a favorite among the students.
Twice a week students travel to Manpower where they are paired one-on-one with Manpower employees. Together homework is completed, but through the relationships our students learn about a variety of interesting professions - broadening their horizons.
Saint John's on the Lake is an inter-generational program with a focus on literacy and storytelling. Third grade students from ONG work with residents each week on ONG's literacy program KidzLit, sharing stories, working on arts and crafts and getting to learn more about each other
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Our Next Generation is looking forward to a "long and successful future" making a difference in the lives of community youth.
THE MAKING OF THE WALNUT HILL URBAN SANCTUARY
The essence of the Walnut Hill Urban Sanctuary Project is collaboration and partnership. Our Next Generation is partnering with Urban Gardens Coordinator Dennis Lukasewski, local artist Muneer Bahauddeen, Amaranth Bakery & Café owner Dave Boucher and others to create a place for personal growth and development.
 
Our Next Generation campers, under the guidance and tutelage of local artist Muneer Bahauddeen created ceramic tiles that were affixed on cedar fence posts that will surround the community garden. The ceramic tiles feature symbols that the children invented to represent themselves culturally, biologically, socially or anthropologically.
 The posts are pieces displayed in Walnut Hill Urban Sanctuary and Our Next Generation’s Neighborhood Center.
OUR NEXT GENERATION PARTNERS WITH MARQUETTE’S RESTORATIVE JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Restorative justice is an approach to justice where offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and to repair the harm they've done- by apologizing, returning stolen money, or doing community service. It is based on a theory of justice that focuses on crime and wrong doing as acted against the individual or community rather than the state. Marquette Law School’s Ron Johnson, is at the forefront of student outreach; working with teens across greater Milwaukee.
Ron Johnson visited Our Next Generation’s High School Connection to introduce himself and the idea of restorative justice; focusing on the pressing issues of today’s youth; gangs, gun violence and drugs.
Ron captured the teen audience with his truthful stories and understanding attitudes, “I would never ‘should’ on a kid. You ‘should’ do this, you ‘should’ do this; nope, you’re closer to being an adult than a child and adults make their own decisions, I am here to discuss the consequences of some of those decisions.”
By the end of the session, students were openly sharing stories, asking questions and hoping to be chosen to receive a poster. The large posters Ron Johnson brought were of a gun and stated, “You can crush your Mama’s hopes with one finger”. A very powerful message for many of the students.
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