Our Programs
Mahogany Youth programs take a holistic approach to healing and enriching the lives of our participants. Discover more below.
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Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs
Fishing is the hook we use to get the kids attention. Hooked on Fishing Not On Drugs Curriculum, sanctioned by the Florida Fish and Wildlife, is taught in our classes. MYC teaches the kids how to fish and enjoy the outdoors while teaching life skills with a stay off drugs message which is incorporated into everything we do. They use acting and role-playing for the drug and gang resistance-behavior modeling. We recruit volunteers, and provide paid staff that is thoroughly trained, certified and insured.
In-school
The in school program began in 2010 in Jose Di Diego, and Richmond Heights middle schools as part of a Children’s Trust Grant. We added a new program called Outdoor Recreation as an elective in Jose Di Diego Middles School.
Out of School, After-school
In both the outdoors and the classroom, they perform research on invasive and native fish in Salt and Freshwater, scientific experiments, sampling, researching, water, and soil collection. The youth exercise and move to improve their health. Hunger issues are addressed by teaching a skill that can provide protein for the table.Most of our students have never been to the ocean before the program.
Saturday Programs
Our Saturday fishing trips are a safe space where students are protected, fed and healed. There are practical outdoor survival skills lessons. Outdoor exploration on the water provides learning opportunities and hands-on conservation education. Fishing in the everglades or the ocean is targeted to eradicate invasive species. Then learning how to clean and prepare the fish for the dinner table. They change their behavior outside of the program because they want to be a part of Mahogany Youth on the weekends. Fishing teaches them patience, planning and communication.
Summer Camp
MYC has delivered a high quality science focused summer camp for 14 years in Miami that includes fishing, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, high quality science, nature experiences, and scientific research in the fields of Marine Biology and Plant Ecology with an emphasis on Sponge, Fish, and Water Quality research. 8 years ago, we added a STEAM focus, and built our first underwater robot. 5 years ago, we added sponge restoration and snorkeling. The youth have participated in coral restoration, studying plankton, water quality, fish restoration, and invasive species research including freshwater animals and lionfish research. Last year we added music lessons, Tai Chi and cooking classes.
Customized Enrichment Program
You have many choices of participation. Here are the details of what is included in each level. You can decide which one fits your kids and budget. There is a 1 day Fishing Derby (4 hours), a 5 hour 1 day or 2 day program with a safety class and fishing derby (3 hours), 5 week program with fishing once at a local park, 10 week program with fishing at a local park and a Saturday fishing event, 20 weeks fishing at a local park and trips to the everglades and the ocean. Each is priced at only $20 per student per session.
Learn More
Every program includes classes on topics such as safety, fishing, life skills, fish identification, knot tying and casting practice. We will provide fishing tackle, rods and reels for the kids to use and bait. You provide the transportation. The main difference is the quality and duration of the outings.
After the 10 or 20 multi-week programs are completed the kids can keep the rods, reels, tackle boxes and classroom books. The monthly fishing outings on a Saturday are to interesting places like the Everglades, Rickenbacker Bridge or Dania Pier on the ocean, and fishing on a party boat in the ocean for an additional fee.
STEAM
STEAM is at the heart of our programs. – Science Technology Engineering Art and Math
Environmental Education
Cleaning up events reinforce a lifelong connection with our local environment that improves communication, self-esteem, discipline and creates a feeling of responsibility to the community.
Water Sports (Swimming Lessons, Snorkeling, Diving and Fishing)
Since 1994, we have connected thousands of youth to nature through fishing, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and safe boating. Swimming lessons are part of our in-school, afterschool and summer camp programs. A child that knows how to swim is less likely to drown.
Learn More
Phase One: is our pre-dive swimming lessons to improve the swimming skills of our youth. Many of our youth need time in the pool in order to be proficient swimmers. We have a swimming coach and secure a swimming pool for each student to have 5 swimming lessons prior to the dive training. Several students will need extra help in addition to the group lessons so we have also procured private lessons where needed. The students were selected based on participation in our inner city programs. Their grades and school performance was used to determine eligibility for this program
Exploring Nature
Outdoors they learn about marine biology and ecology, technology, engineering and math.
Marine Science
The youth have participated in shark tagging, coral and sponge restoration, seining, studying plankton, water quality, fish restoration, and invasive species research including freshwater fish, saltwater fish including lionfish and animal research.
Shark Tagging
Through our partnership with the University of Florida, our students travel around the South East to learn about Marine Sciences. They go on shark tagging expeditions in the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.
Sponge Research
Every year our students find mentors and inspiration from the world’s best universities for environmental studies. For example they spend one week studying sponges in the keys with professors from Humboldt University.
Coral Restoration
In partnership with University of Miami they studied coral restoration and our divers were able to participate in coral restoration.
Water Quality Testing
On all of our trips we take water samples to test back in our laboratory or with the scientist that we partner with at Biscayne National Park, Universities of Miami or University of Florida.
Invasive Species Eradication
We teach how to safely remove invasive species from the environment. According to the The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invasive species are animals not native to Florida that cause economic or environmental harm or pose a threat to human safety. More than 500 nonnative species have been reported in Florida.
A Message from the FWC
Eighty percent of these have been introduced via the live animal trade with more than 150 established in Florida, meaning they are reproducing in the wild.
The FWC also encourages the public to safely remove nonnative invasive species from the wild when possible. Nonnative species are not protected, except by anti-cruelty law, and may be humanely killed on private lands at any time with landowner permission (no permit required). People may also lethally remove nonnative reptiles from 22 FWC-managed public lands without a license or permit.
STEAM
STEAM is at the heart of our programs. – Science Technology Engineering Art and Math
Science
The youth have participated in coral restoration, studying plankton, water quality activism, fish restoration, and invasive species research including freshwater animals and lionfish research.
Technology
Each year we increase our science emphasis with an environmental study program researching invasive species, science experiments like water, soil and animal testing, environmental education, robotics, and technology program by building more sophisticated robots, drones and underwater cameras to use in our summer camp and water recreation programs
Engineering
During summer camp and in school they design and build an engineering project. Last year it was fighting robots and car bots. This year they will build a computer using a semi built motherboard and component
Art
In summer camp they design and build a mural to show what they learn during the 4 weeks of camp. During the school year they work on art projects to illustrate their lessons
Math
Is used in everything we do from addition for tournaments to calculating water quality. Math in our engineering and technology
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