Hey Vinny!!

Hello! My name is Vincent Caputo. I'm excited to get started with this program. Ok, so about me: I'm the youngest of four children. I have two older sisters and one older brother, all who live in different parts of the country but we are all very close. I was raised in upstate New York but moved to Portland, OR just after I graduated high school. I attended undergraduate school at Portland State University where I majored in Film production/studies and minored in Spanish. In 2011 I lived in Querétaro, Mexico for six months as a way to improve my spanish speaking ability and to experience living in a different culture. I am currently in the Master's in Humanities program at the University of Chicago with a focus in Cinema and Media Studies (which basically means I really like movies and am gonna try really hard to make a career out of it).

The main reason I was interested in volunteering for the Service Match program is that I feel like if I have the time, the inclination, and the ability to try and help people out, I don't know why I wouldn't. My mom was a teacher for nearly her entire adult life and I've always admired the ethic that comes with the role of a teacher or a mentor. I gained experience with teaching while I was in college and most likely will continue on that path when I graduate from uchicago. When you're young, having positive adult influences in your life can make all the difference. I know it did for me, and that's what I'm hoping to be a part of with S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc.

Who I be!!

An introduction can be a funny thing. Do you go with the classic format, "Hi I'm (insert name here) and I am..."? The" I am" portion puzzles me, do I inform you of my current profession or who I am at the core? Considering my current profession doesn't elude much about me. Or do I go with a more non-traditional route, "Hi I'm (insert name here) (because come on you have to at least know my name, can't move to far from the intro of the introduction). "What do you think about (insert current event)?" Essentially, I look at introductions as an opportunity to identify how I can relate to the person. Now that you had the chance to formulate an opinion on who I am, let me formally introduce myself.

Hi, I am Asia Miles, a thrill seeker, explorer, lover of learning about life & a woman who likes to have fun. I'm a graduate of Northern Illinois University, obtained a Bachelor of Science in Organizational/ Corporate Communication. I am the youngest of four sisters, so I know the importance of "sisterhood". I eagerly anticipate our journey together and all that it will bring as we learn and grow from one another. Of the many quotes that can describe me I believe this one answers the questions, "Who is Asia?" and "Why do I volunteer with S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc.":

"One hundred years from now
It won't matter
What kind of car I drove
What kind of house I lived in
How much money I had in the bank
Nor what my cloths looked like
BUT
The world may be a little better
Because, I was important
In the life of a child."

--
Asia L. Miles The"Go-To" person, providing solutions and service with a smile.

Not just an assistant!

I am a recent college grad of the International Academy of Design & Technology. I have a bachelors in Merchandise Management. I am proud to say that I am a former member of Sisters Inc. (previously known as 'Big Sister Little Sister') from King College Prep, and because I believed in this program so much, and have adopted Phoenix Charleston's vision as my own I have continued to work with the program after graduating high school for five years.

In the past I have been a facilitator, volunteer and the end of the year fashion show coordinator but most recently I am assistant to Mrs. Charleston. Sisters Inc is a program that I value and am sure that parents, students, and anyone who comes in daily contact with young ladies will see the need of this program in urban communities and will surely see that we are committed to helping our members become better leaders, supportive friends and overall realize the importance of sisterhood.

-Kyla Manuel 

Hey Stephanie!!

Hi! My name is Stephanie Bonaroti. I am 22 years old and originally from Pittsburgh, PA. I studied music and math in college at the University of Notre Dame. Now, I’m getting my masters at the University of Chicago, focusing on music.
I joined S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. for a few reasons. First, I like being around teenagers, which you don’t see a lot of at a university. So, I really wanted to do something that would let me be around younger people, especially girls! Secondly, I like school. S.I.S.T.E.R.S. was a way for me to be involved with schools without being the one who had to give you homework and tests. Third, I’ve always enjoyed being a part of my community, wherever that is in each part of my life. Just moving to Chicago, I’m excited to get to know the local neighborhood, most importantly the people that live in these neighborhoods, and hopefully feel like I’m part of the community, too!
For me, the most important thing to achieve by volunteering with S.I.S.T.E.R.S. is to make a positive difference in the lives of these girls. That could be helping one girl apply to college, giving someone more confidence, or even creating new friendships. There will be a lot of things, as a volunteer, that I am hoping to communicate to the group of girls that we work with. Through our meetings, though, I think the girls will have things to teach me, too. I hope that S.I.S.T.E.R.S. will be a sisterhood not only for them, but also for me.

It's Laura Lee!!!

My name is Laura Lee (the two names are my first name, because it’s a weird Southern thing). I’m 25 and, three years after graduating from college, just started studying at the University of Chicago. I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and Chicago is maybe the only other city that I love. This is my second go-around at living here, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

I’m pursuing my Master’s degree in public policy, which means that I spend a lot of time thinking about what governments and other organizations can do to make people’s lives better.  There are lots of ways to go about it: People who study policy go on to do everything from really technical number crunching to running organizations like S.I.S.T.E.R.S Inc. 

My degree requires that I learn how to do a lot of statistics and economics – the number crunching stuff. That stuff is necessary so that I can do things like analyze surveys, but it isn’t my strong suit. I was an English major in college, so I’m really excited to stretch my writing muscles at S.I.S.T.E.R.S.Inc. this year in service of a great organization that seems like it is itching to expand and deepen its impact in the community. 

I joined the University’s service match program because it’s easy to focus so much on lectures and papers and textbooks that you forget the real life, human consequences of all the theory; working with y’all is a way to keep a hold of what I want to do with my life beyond school. More importantly, I’m specifically excited to be matched with S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. because, basically, the sisterhood of being a woman rules. I don’t think there’s a more powerful force in this world. My mom died when I was a teenager, so now – without ever asking or trying – I have six or seven moms that I answer to. So many aunts and friends’ moms and teachers claim me as their own that sometimes it’s overwhelming. And no matter how great any romantic partner is, there’s nothing more calming or healing or uplifting than a really quality girls’ night. Women, for centuries and around the world, have stopped violence and wars just by organizing their influence and power. S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc.  is a part of that power, and I can’t wait.

 

It's Lucy!!

My name is Lucy Bryan and I am from Denver, Colorado. I left Colorado to explore the East Coast and went to college in Connecticut. I enjoyed living near water for the first time, but decided to move back to Denver after graduation. I have been in Denver since, working as a pastry chef/cake decorator, a bookseller, and a tutor at a Kumon Learning Center. I still love both reading and baking, which I have been doing a lot of this fall.

 A belief in the importance of education led me to Service Match. I want to give back to the Hyde Park community as I experience it this year. Since my graduate program only lasts a year, I want to get as much out of it as possible. I know that that goes beyond the campus. S.I.S.T.E.R.S.Inc. is such a fantastic program and I am so excited to be involved with it. I am interested in how the program has evolved since its conception and what that experience looked like. Mostly of all, I am looking forward to meeting the students and forging new connections with them and my co-workers. 

This Year's Team!!!

So as I stated in the previous post, we have so much to catch up on. First deal of business was to let you know about one of our biggest projects going on this year!! "Bianca's Shoes" Shoe Drive, Happening this Saturday BTW!!!Go to www.sistersincleadership.org for the exact location and time of this project! The Second, and still Big Deal is our awesome team of volunteers! We were fortunate enough to partner with the University of Chicago Community Service Center  to get a group of awesome students from their Service Match program to help us out last year and this year we are fortunate enough to continue that partnership! We have four awesome volunteers from the Service Match Program and I would love  for them to introduce themselves to you! We also have three fabulous women that have dedicated their time to our organization and I would also like to have them introduce themselves!

The team that we have this year is a very diverse and creative group of individuals that have a lot to offer our young ladies and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with and mentor them and they do the same for me!

Check out the pics below of some of our volunteers in action and tuned for the posts from the volunteers!

From the Founder.

Bonfire Party October 2013

Bonfire Party October 2013

First Meeting of the year!

First day of Programming!

First day of programming!

Lucy and the girls!

Vinny and the girls!

I've missed you! Welcome back!

Hey readers! Welcome back to our blog project! Its been awhile, pretty much an entire year since I last posted a blog..yes an entire year..where has the time gone??? Well there's plenty for me catch you up on...let's see,  the last time I posted we had just announced our new philanthrophy project called Bianca's Shoes Shoe Drive in honor of my late cousin Bianca Renee Hill. The purpose of the shoe drive is to collect new or gentle used shoes for men, women, boys and girls in order to help those in need for the holiday season. We would provide a day of service where people could come to Holy Angels Catholic School and receive the shoe donations and the remainder of the shoes would go to varies shelters across the city of Chicago.  Well let me tell you, our first event was above a success! We raised over a 1000 pair of shoes in donations. We were able to donate to five families and the remainder of the shoes went to Aunt Marthas youth services, two women shelters and a church!!! What blessing it was to be a blessing!  And guess what??? We're doing it all over again this year and our goal is to double the amount of shoes we raised last year! Our day of Service is November 23rd this year and we'll be meeting ay Holy Angels Catholic School located at 740 E. 40th Street, Chicago Illinois 60653. Time is from 10am- 3pm. Deadline for shoe drop-off is Friday,  November 22nd. Please see our website for drop-off locations at www.sistersincleadership.org.

You have been blessed all year, so now it time to be a blessing!

Hope to see your donations! Stay tuned for more blog posts!

-From the Founder

Bianca's Shoes

Hi Guys,

I talked briefly about our shoe drive,  "Bianca's Shoes" in the last blog post that's currently going on now until  November 16th. For those of you that want to be a blessing to someone and donate your gently used or new shoes, we welcome you. This is our first shoe drive and it's in honor of someone very dear to my heart, my cousin Bianca Renee Hill who passed away suddenly in 2010 at the age of 21.It's taken me a while to write about this and since it's such a touchy subject, I'll just share the solicitation letter about our first philanthropic event: 

Locations:

And just a few pics of the girl behind the name, the great Bianca Renee Hill!

We're Back!!!

Hey Guys!!!

I know it's been a while since our last blog post! There's been so much going on since the last submission so let me update you:

Since the last blog post we now have a beautiful website!! If you haven't checked it out yet....what are you waiting for????? Go to www.sistersincleadership.org and explore our pages of info, upcoming events, lovely pics and my personal favorite yet inspirational song!!! 

We are now Community Partners with the University of Chicago!! So what does that mean? The University of Chicago Community Service Center has paired our program and other businesses/organizations and matched us with their  undergraduate and graduate students that have expressed interest in giving back to the community. S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. was matched with the Masters of Arts Program in the Humanities Division , known by its acronym MAPH. The students selected in this program come from unique backgrounds that I think would bring an interesting dynamic to the participants of the program. I'll update you as the program continues.

I'm excited we've now started back with programming during the  school year with 50 participants so far and everything is going well!!!Participating schools include: Holy Angels Catholic School, King College Prep and Kozminski Elementary. Check out Pics from our "Get to know you" Kick-off below!

"Bianca's Shoes" Shoe Drive is going on NOW until November 16th, so if you have shoes you would like to donate please check out our website for that information.

Last but certainly not least for our updates..........................drum roll please........................................
S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Leadership Program is now a 501(c)3 charitable organization !!!!! We're officially official!! All praise to GOD for opening doors and making that transition a fast one. I don't mean to brag but....we were approved in 7 weeks!!!!Now when the actual letter was mailed off ....smh..that's a different story. However, I'm now looking forward to all the work ahead in receiving funding and becoming the functioning organization that has been envisioned back in 2005. (Yes that's how long ago GOD gave this vision. But that's for another blog post!)

I'm so excited for all that has taken place thus far. I encourage you to continue supporting us by reading our blog post and updates and watch GOD work in our young ladies!! Check out the pics below!

~The Founder~

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc.Updates

Hey Followers! I know it's been a little over a month since we last submitted a blog to our page. There's been some exciting things that we've been planning: 

Check them out!! 

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Leadership Program Presents:

 “Everyday is a Runway" Fashion Show Fundraiser  

When: Friday, June 22^nd

 Where: King College Prep High School 4445 S. Drexel.

Time 7:00-10:00pm.

Clothing provided by: 828 Collection, Tj Maxx, & Kiwis Boutiquee

Live Entertainment and Refreshments will be served!

This family event!!

Tickets: $10 on Eventbrite and $15 at the door, $5 for children ages 12 & under Go to our link: http://sistersincleadership.eventbrite.com

This Event is Free!!

We hope that you can come out to support  both of these events!!!

Want more info? Call us at: 773-819-5783

or email us at: info@sistersincleadership.org

 S.I.S.T.E. R.S. Inc. Website will be launched Soon!! 

Thank you!!

Here's a few Pics from the Etiquette workshop with Instructor Leontina Richardson from Stepping into Etiquette!

One of the things that I can honestly take back from the workshop is making sure I take the time  to send a thank note to show my appreciation.

So with that being said, thank you Leontina for imparting your knowledge and leadership skills into our young ladies! And thanks for bringing Etiquette back into the forefront!

]

To book Leontina Richardson's services, go to:www.steppingintoetiquette.com 

Kids etiquette classes aren't completely out of style!

This month our young ladies form S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. will be taking part in some etiquette workshops from Leontina Richardson the founder of Stepping into Etiquette! This young woman is doing her thing and I'm excited for the knowledge that she's going to impart into our young ladies!


Check out this article about how etiquette classes aren't out of style! 

Kids etiquette classes aren't completely out of style


Also check out Ms. Richardson's website at www.steppingintoetiquette.com

10 ways to look and feel your best

10 ways to look and feel your best

1. Love Do something nice for someone, you never know how quickly you can change a person’s mood with an act of kindness. Be nice J

2. Smile   It can light up an entire room and makes everyone think that you are sweet.

3. Sweat   Take a walk, do some cardio, dance like no one is watching. This can relieve much stress and make for an amazing transformation in your waist  line ;)

4. H20 Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated from the inside out. This will affect the appearance of your skin and your over all health.

5. Keep good company be sure to surround yourself with positivity. Don’t stay alone for too long or waist time with cynical people.

6. Keep your ears clean by this I’m talking music. Opt for more upbeat and uplifting music that inspires you to do something great!

7. Eat breakfast Whole grains and healthy snacks in the morning will give you a boost each day. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes.

8. Wear eyeliner ( ladies only J) I always say the quickest way to change your look is add eyeliner. If you’re going to wear it on the bottom make sure it’s heavier on top.

9. Change up your style add a new color into your wardrobe.  Wearing bright sunny colors can make spring seem closer. Do something different with your style to boost your confidence.

10. Cut back on carbs and sweets. Extra weight can make us feel tired and unhappy. Make sure you don’t overdo it and eat healthy balanced meals throughout the day!

Guest Blogger: Marquita Brown Co-Founder and Artistic Director; TriFYRE

Check her out:

http://www.facebook.com/marquita.m.brown  http://www.facebook.com/trifyre?sk=wall

Ó2012 Marquita Brown

Goal Planning.

I work in the news business as a producer. This is something that didn't happen overnight but thanks to goal planning, I made it happen.
I'll keep this short and sweet so that it will resonate with you. (I find that I always get distracted/bored if an article is too long)

1) Don't set unrealistic goals. Seriously, if you know you won't achieve a goal then why set it? It's wonderful to fantasize but don't say "I'll be the first female president" and you hate politics. That's just unrealistic.

2) Always have 3-5 short term goals and a time to achieve them. I recently started at a new news station and I set five goals that I knew I would master. And so far, three have been checked off my list. These short term goals can be anything from "I'm going to complete three extra credit assignments this semester" to "I will cook dinner every Sunday for the next six months". These obtainable goals will motivate you in the long run. I mean, it feels good to say "I DID IT" right?!

3)ALWAYS HAVE A LONG-TERM GOAL. Know what you want to achieve in the long term. Right out of college, I didn't know what I wanted to do besides make money. I chose that instead of following my orginal career dream. My mom told me to not chose a job because of money but because I loved doing it. Ignoring her, I worked for a retailer and then a cable company. HATED IT! I knew I wasn't happy and decided to do what I loved and that was report the news. It took me about a year and a half after I set the goal to achieve it. But thanks to the help of short term goals, it worked out. And I became a news producer! Same thing can apply to all aspects of life. Just know what you want or where you want to be in life. (this takes prayer/medidation/focus/courage)

4)Don't let anything distract you. Sure, life happens. The unexpected suddenly slaps you in the face. Don't let if get you down. Even if you need to postpone or push some things back...don't let it stop you from achieving what you said you were going to do. When I was trying to get into my career, I was working a full-time job, part-time job, and interning at a television station while auditing a journalism class. And then there was a boyfriend in my life. We'd been dating for four years. He felt neglected and didn't really understand why I suddenly had less time for him. He broke it off with me and I was devastated. But I didn't stop working on my goal! Three months later, I became a news producer. Two and a half years later, I moved to California and now I am a successful, emmy-nominated producer!

5) Once you achieve a goal...set new ones! Complacency is NOT a good look on ANYONE. Even if it's a personal goal like "I'm going to pamper myself once a month" or "I'm going to be a manager in my company in the next five years" you should always strive for something.

Here are some other things that help me: 

*Always network with your teachers, professors, co-workers, employers, etc. Anyone in the field you are/want to be in. They could be your boss one day!

*Never burn bridges. It's hard. SO hard. But even if a professor was downright nasty to you the entire time you took his/her class, never reciprocate it. It's a life lesson that 
will carry on. You'll have opportunities to burn bridges by quitting an employer on the spot, screaming at a co-worker. But you never know what/who can come back to bite you.

*Never forget who helped you. If someone helped motivated you or simply made a phone call that lead to a job interview, always thank them and never forget them. 

*Pay it forward. If someone helped you, help someone else. Plain and simple.

So ladies: plan to achieve the OBTAINABLE. Reach higher than you think you can (but at a realistic height). Distractions happen but YOU would be to blame for letting them affect your outlook on life. And never stop setting goals. They set you up for success...no matter what age! 

Guest Blogger: Akemi Harrison
Follow her: Akemi Harrison (@kemico) on Twitter

Sign up for Twitter to follow Akemi Harrison (@kemico). Producer at KXTV. Lover of breaking news, good music, pretty purses and shoes. Oh, and I like to laugh... a lot!

Thanking God and The Importance of Devotion

Thanking God and The Importance of Devotion

A Simple Guide to Creating a Monthly Budget

Check our another cool informative article from Queen Prep!!!
Click on the title link below to view!


A Simple Guide to Creating a Monthly Budget

Being a Good Steward!!!

Money this. Finances that. Good credit, slow credit, bad credit, no credit.  Budget now.  Blow it all. 401K. IRA.  Surely you’ve heard at least one of these. 

Good stewardship is the fundamental financial principle.  If you commit to a few simple practices, you’ll secure a healthy financial future.

Here’s the foundation:

Pay God first.  Pay yourself next.  Pay your bills on or before the due date.  Watch things fall into place.

Tithing is at the forefront of stewardship.  See it as trusting God with the resources that He’s kindly provided you.  In the end, you will realize that He can accomplish more with your remaining 90% than you can with your 100 percent.  Try the NIV Stewardship Study Bible for extra help.

Saving is the core of budgeting and self-discipline.  Living within or below your means is beyond attractive, sexy, and fancy.  New dresses, shoes, cars, jewelry, and furniture will be produced every minute, hour, day, week, month, and year.  Most places you’d like to visit are not moving any time soon. We’re all human and we get tempted.  I know how difficult it can be to stick with a budget, but it’s becoming easier and easier with resources provided by many banks.  My personal favorite is www.learnvest.com!

Most people want a cookie for paying their bills on time.  Realistically speaking, your credit score is that cookie.  We could even call it a fortune cookie.  Bad credit can easily defer a cash dependent dream. Unfortunately, people actually judge you by this system.  Employers check it. Banks check it. Apartments check it.  Cell phone companies check it. Department stores check it.  Insurance companies check it.  If you have established a credit history, you should definitely check it—for free of course. Point is, in many instances, people see your credit score before they see you.   Don’t dismiss this; your credit is not limited to actual credit card accounts. 

Since we’re on the subject of credit cards, they are the devil.  Maybe devil is a little strong.  Credit card lenders are predators.  If you determine that you must have a credit card for EMERGENCY purposes, make sure that the limit is an amount that you can comfortably pay back within one month’s time.  This means no minimum or monthly payments spread out over long periods of time accumulating interest and making an item or service extremely higher than it was initially. Pay that bill off each month in full!  I suggest using the money within your checking account as often as possible.  If you don’t have the cash, don’t make the purchase.

The entertainment industry along with the rest of the world sells multiple illusions that you can’t afford to buy.  Tithe. Save. Give. Spend responsibly.

Guest Blogger: Staarland Thompson

Follow her on Twitter: @Staarland

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Blog Project!!!: Great Beauty Tips!!

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Blog Project!!!: Great Beauty Tips!!

Great Beauty Tips!!

As a makeup artist, I've worked with teens, brides, performers, and even those in reality television. I've had the pleasure of meeting women of all color.  Beauty is defined differently all arond the world. Every culture and generation has it's very own meaning of beauty. But there is one thing that we all have in common. There is one thing that every race, every woman wants. That one thing is something that you already possess. It is Youth. Everyone wants it but you have it. Don't believe me? Browse your local drugstore (ex: Walgreens) or Beauty store (ex: Ulta). Pay attention to the amount of age defying or youth renewing products in there. Many seek to rewind time.

          The best beauty advice that I could give you is this:  Celebrate your youth. Enjoy your God given beauty. You are unique. Just think, there's no one else that's an exact duplicate of you. Only you can be the best you. Here are a few tips on how to let you shine through.

Preteens: Makeup? eh...The last thing you want is to look like an eleven year old who doesnt enjoy being eleven. Don't rush to become a teenager. It will happen. In the meantime, embrace your preteens by rocking clear mascara to help define those naturally beautiful lashes, This won't add color but it will help to comb out tangles, long lashes and enourage them to stay put. Think of it as gel for the lashes. Add some lipgloss and you're ready to go!

Age 13-16: When I was this age, I thought that black eyeliner was the one and only answer. Boy was I wrong. With your parents consent, try a soft brown eyeliner. This will keep your eyes fresh and beautiful. Cheek stains or cream blush will add color to the face without looking clown like.

Age 17-20: Ok, so you're old enough now to wear black eyeliner.  But even so, you want to look current and not dated. Here's a good soft smokey look. Take your eyeliner from the outer corner of your lash line (this is right  along your bottom lashes) and bring it to the midlle. Next, take your pinky finger and smooth the liner from the outer corner all the way to inner corner. Interested in foundation? Try mineral powder. It's light, oil free and doesn't irritate the skin. Cream blushes are fantastic for a flush of color without the "I'm wearing blush" look.

I hope that these tips inspire you to be the best you. Beauty begins witing. So shine on girls, shine on. :)

Guest Blogger: Hidejah Zaimah

About Her: "There's beauty that's deeper than skin. There's a beauty that's skin deep. Makeup done right brings the former out of the latter." 
Check her out on Facebook: Makeup by Hidejah Zaimah