Trenton Price
2:39:15
Thank you chair banks and members of the committee on public housing.
2:39:19
My name is Trenton Price.
2:39:20
I'm the executive director of the Salvadori Center.
2:39:23
I'm a former middle school teacher and assistant principal, and a district administrator for arts education, before I joined Salvadori two years ago.
2:39:32
I'm really passionate about education and facilitating experiences for young people to work together and empower their voices.
2:39:38
At Salvadori, we provide STEAM education, that's STEM plus the A for arts and architecture, to schools and after school sites and NYCHA communities across the city.
2:39:49
For context, last year, Salvadori worked with over 12,000 students in 145 schools and NYCHA community centers.
2:39:56
We are grateful to have the support of the council through multiple CASA and digital inclusion and literacy grants, as well as the after school enrichment and speakers initiative at numerous NYCHA sites across the city.
2:40:08
And it's this work that brings me here to speak today.
2:40:11
As a long time partner of NYCHA for over fifteen years, we see firsthand the need for robust out of school time programming for children and youth in public housing communities.
2:40:20
In our programs, young people clamor for the opportunity to work together and build solutions to design challenges that impact their communities.
2:40:28
These real life challenges engage their brains, foster collaboration, and make connections to career pathways they may not have considered.
2:40:36
For example, last summer, Salvadori worked with middle school youth in East New York, Anastoria, to learn about the built environment and to propose designs for their own community center in their NYCHA communities, which we then brought to life.
2:40:50
With so many pressing priorities for residents of public housing, we know programming for children and youth can sometimes feel like not a priority, but to the contrary, investing in pathways for children and youth is one of the most critical things we can do to support the success of future generations.
2:41:07
I want to thank this committee, chair banks, and the council for your investment in the futures of our youth and encourage you to deepen the support for out of school time partnerships.
2:41:18
I ask that you consider an increase to CASA and digital inclusion and literacy to provide these opportunities for young people in public housing communities.
2:41:26
We're grateful to be of service in New York City's youth and stand ready to do more.
2:41:30
Thank you for your dedication in this hearing.
