A new CTEP service year brings hellos and goodbyes

The Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) AmeriCorps program at SPNN not only broadens our general programming reach in the Twin Cities metro area, it also enriches our day to day experience at our home office when a new SPNN Youth CTEP member joins the staff each year. Fall is the time when we celebrate the service contributions of our outgoing CTEP member and prepare a warm welcome for our new addition. In August, we bade farewell to outgoing CTEP member Joua Lee. Before parting ways, Joua wrote a final message to the organization about her experience here: 

"A year ago, I was nervous for what my year of service at SPNN would hold for me. I was a recent college graduate and unsure about what I would do with my future. Now looking back, I know serving a year with CTEP at SPNN was the best thing I could have done.

"My rich experience at SPNN has been a valuable one. I am so appreciative of all the supportive and caring people who have made my time here what it is. SPNN has taught me what it means to care for your community. My colleagues have taught me how to be supportive. The youth have taught me a lot about friendship. Here, I have grown so much as a media-maker, youth worker, and community advocate, largely due to being in the company of amazing people. I have become more of the person I want to be as a result of being here. For this, I am so grateful.

"It is with great sadness that I leave SPNN, but I leave knowing they will continue to do great work in the community and I know that I will stay involved in some capacity. I will also leave knowing that the youth I’ve worked with and deeply care about are in truly good hands.

"I have a few things in store for me in the near future. I am currently working on a short documentary through the Legacy Fellowship Program held by the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Council for Asian-Pacific Minnesotans. I hope to finish this by 2013. I have recently started a position in the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work as their Human Resources Business Process Liaison. In October, I will be launching a new after-school program called Minneapolis Free Style with a few partners. This will be a spoken word media production program for youth in Minneapolis Public Schools. I can say with confidence that I am exactly where I need to be in life, and much of this is due to my year at SPNN. Thank you for this. Take care, my friends, and I will see you again soon. "

Then, just a few short weeks later, we were joined by CTEP veteran - serving her first year at TCYMN partner station, KFAI Radio - Emily Krumberger, who took a little time to tell us a little about herself and lay out some goals for her upcoming year with SPNN Youth: 

"Hello SPNN, I’m Emily Krumberger and I’ll be taking over in the Youth Department for Joua Lee – hard shoes to fill, I know! I was born and raised in Minneapolis. After attending South High School I went to New York City to attend New York University, where I received a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies. It was at NYU that I also developed my love for working with and empowering youth as a mentor for middle-school girls through the national organization Women & Youth Supporting Each Other (WYSE).

"In my free time I listen to music, watch too many music videos, occasionally DJ on KFAI Radio, paint my nails, eat ice cream, read, and spend time with my family.

"This past year I taught youth media to teens at KFAI Radio in Minneapolis, helping them produce their own radio stories. I am excited to continue working in youth media so I can learn from them and help them to use media as a tool to activate their voice, as well as the voice of their communities. This year I will be working with the Set It Up program and the Youth Action Committee at SPNN. I hope to meet everyone in the SPNN community soon!"

The SPNN Youth staff is proud to have been able to provide a role for Joua to cultivate her skills in her year with us and we are proud to welcome Joua's former CTEP cohort Emily to the team. If you find yourself hanging around the station, feel free to pop up and introduce yourself to our newest member.