Middle Earth

The 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) is a comprehensive afterschool program, which supports students' academic, behavioral, emotional and social growth in an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement. The 21st CCLC program serves students in 4th through 8th grades from Bound Brook and South Bound Brook, and operates 11 months out of the year.

The program provides students with opportunities in the following areas:

academic remediation and enrichment,
character education (such as fun and energetic activities that reinforce the six pillars of character, including respect and trust, and developing prevention skills for gangs and substance abuse),
cultural and artistic opportunities (such as art,computer technology, environmental science, home economics, musical drama, and videography),
educational field trips (such as museums, science centers, performing arts centers, zoos and aquariums, and local historical sites),
family programming,
health, nutrition, fitness and physical activity,
on-site counseling, and
positive recreation.

The Middle Earth Community Youth Center provides a safe and supervised place for any youth between the ages of 12 and 18 to gather and interact positively with their peers. Youth are able to “walk-in” during Center hours. Our Center becomes a "home away from home" for many kids, a place to go instead of "hanging out" on the street. The staff strive to provide a support system to youth who would otherwise not have one, in the hopes of intervening prior to troubled behavior.

Our comprehensive service centers provide an array of benefits to youth all in one location, including:

tutoring,
special interest groups,
leadership training,
mentoring,
community service,
crisis intervention and referral services,
recreation (such as pool table, ping pong table, TV, VCR, stereo, exercise equipment, board and video games, arts and crafts materials, cameras, computers, sound booth equipment and a bulletin board of planned activities),
caring and supportive adults who act as role models,
employment readiness (teaching skills to improve marketability in the workforce),
informal counseling, and
life skills center (e.g. cooking, obtaining a driver’s license, financial literacy, independent living).

The Station House Adjustment (SHA) Program provides community service to first-time offending youth who commit a minor offense as a consequence for their behavior. In addition, staff work with the youth to identify the need for additional support services, if appropriate.

To participate in the program, the youth cannot have any prior arrests or be on Probation, must be between the ages of 10 and 18, and be a Somerset County resident.

The goal of this intervention is to deter the youth from continuing their negative behavior and progressing further into the juvenile justice system.

Community service activities are always supervised and conducted within local communities, usually on Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Hours are more flexible during the summer and on an individual basis.

The Middle Earth PROMISE Program is a structured program designed to help youth improve academic success; learn job readiness and life skills; gain employment experience; and receive mentoring and support services that will empower them to reach their potential for a bright future. After an initial assessment, youth receive up to 12 weeks of tutoring, community service and life skills education, and 2 weeks of job readiness training. They are then connected with an 8-week paid internship. During program, transportation is provided, and program participants have the ability to earn a stipend.

The main purpose of the VISIONS Program is to provide Somerset and Hunterdon County youth with the necessary tools and resources to develop employment readiness skills in order to be marketable in the community.

The VISIONS Program orients youth with expectations of employers and employment readiness training to prepare them for the workforce. It prepares youth to take the Work Readiness Credential test, showing that they have the entry level skills necessary to obtain employment. It also provides youth with community service opportunities and support services.

The program serves youth ages 16-21 who are out of school and low-income based on the 70% lower living standard. Youth must reside in Somerset or Hunterdon Counties and must face one or more of the following challenges: basic skills deficient, school dropout, disabled, homeless, runaway or foster child, pregnant or parenting, involved as an offender in the Juvenile Justice System, and/or requires additional assistance to complete an educational program to secure and hold employment.

The JOURNEYS Program provides an out-of-school program for Somerset County youth, ages 12 to 17, who have chronic family conflict, poor school attendance and/or performance, frequent contact with police, been placed on deferred probation, and/or a history of acting out in the community. Youth can be referred to the program by their school, local police officers, or other community-based agencies.

Journeys provides daily supervision and group meetings, providing lessons in: character education (leadership, positive decision-making, anger management, etc.); academic support to improve their performance and explore their future options; and employment readiness skills (resume writing, interviewing, job searches, etc.)

The Linkages' School Based Program is a collaborative effort among local agencies designed to offer health services, life skills education, employment services, counseling, and safe recreational services to youth at one site: the Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School (SCVTHS).

Linkages offers year-round free services to all SCVTHS students (including part time) between 14 and 21 years old. Middle Earth’s role is to provide the recreational component of the Linkages Program through the use of a youth center at SCVTHS and offer recreation and outreach services to the students in order to provide safe and positive leisure activities and identify youth who are in need of special services. Recreational services are offered both through the Linkages Youth Center as well as through a variety of trips offered to participants throughout the year.

This after school program for 3rd grade students in Bound Brook provides academic support and exposure to a variety of clubs, activities, guest speakers, and positive recreation. By connecting with these young children, the hope is that they will learn how to make positive choices and use the full potential of their future before they face the temptations of risky behavior.

The Art House helps to decrease risky behavior by exposing youth to the arts. Professional artists conduct monthly workshops in the areas of Music, Theater, or Visual Arts, mimicking an apprenticeship. Students exercise their learned skills daily by working on projects such as improvizational skits, single scene plays, collaborative murals, individual art work, and songwriting. The Art House provides two opportunities during the year for youth to showcase their work within the community. Students will develop portfolios of their work to reflect their thought process, ability to complete projects, emotional growth, and dedication.

Big Dan's Bike Shop teaches youth how to repair bicycles and how to operate a small business, as well as employment readiness skills and experience. The youth collect old bicycles, and then sell them for a donation, as well as offer inexpensive bicycle repair. The Shop not only provides youth with valuable work experience and meaningful work during their free time, the program helps youth develop entrepreneurial, leadership, team building, financial, marketing, and customer service skills.