What was POPPYN about 2010 (and how can it keep POPPYN in 2011?)

Did you know that only 1% of youth-related stories in the mainstream media focus on "good deeds?" Privileged to be working with Philadelphia youth, we are better informed about the huge the contribution young people make to our city. So this Fall at the UCCP we launched a new initiative called POPPYN, which stands for Presenting Our Perspective onPhilly Youth News. It's a youth-produced news show about issues and events in Philadelphia that so often get ignored or misrepresented by the mainstream media. Our pilot episode is in the last stages of post-production and will be coming out - and coming to your e-mail box - very soon!

Inspired by our own co-opting of the adjective poppin' (which means both "cool" and "happening"), we asked the UCCP Leaders Corps and staff what was POPPYN for them in 2010. We also borrowed an idea from the "If I Had a Trillion Dollars" contest (we used it in our after school program to explore how the money spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could be better distributed to help our community) and asked the LC what they would buy the UCCP if they had a Trillion Dollars. Hey - it's fun to dream!

Check out their answers in the video below:

Um, so.. our slightly more REALISTIC Wishlist includes getting our own lounge at Temple University, updating our cramped offices with new technology, investing in new state-of-the art media equipment to make initiatives like POPPYN even more, well, poppyn!... But also the little things that an organization working with youth never stops needing:Tokens, Pizza, Snacks, Board Games, Gift Cards, tickets to cool events,a Button Maker and of course Cold Hard Cash so we can take our participants to national conferences, support them traveling to other countries through Experiment in International Living, and paying the salaries of our staff and Leaders Corps. At the end of the day, it's all those little things that help us together create a city culture where youth feel supported, encouraged and represented.

You are a big part of what makes UCCP so POPPYN.

Please buy us something. The little stuff really adds up.

Happy Holidays.

<3

The UCCP

Send cold hard cash (in check form) to:
UCCP-Temple University
4th Floor Gladfelter Hall, 1115 W. Berks St
Philadelphia, PA 19122