This past summer One Common Unity (OCU) launched its new youth program, Fly By Light, which climaxed from July 25-August 1, when the inner-city high school students traveled to the mountains of West Virginia for a life transforming experience.  

In order to create a collaborative learning environment for every participant, we are bringing together youth who come from broken homes and have a history of poor school performance with teens who are excelling in school and have no history of violent behavior. All the youth who participate will experience a safe space for dialogue, self-discovery and self-expression, carefully crafted by OCU’s highly skilled facilitators.

The program incubates youth for six months and immerses them in workshops on leadership, nonviolent communication, conflict resolution, personal growth, health and wellness, and music therapy.  Participants will go home with a musical and visual art creation, as well as be featured in a documentary film created around their experience with One Common Unity. In addition to the main programming and artistic creation process, youth will have sweat lodge ceremonies, drum circles, movement classes and group dialogue sessions. This transformational experience will leave youth with:

• An appreciation and love for nature
• Social-emotional skills that increase happiness
• An ability and desire to handle conflicts nonviolently
• An understanding of music and art as tools for self-expression and cultural change
• An ability to critically engage with their environment and people of different racial, ethnic, socio-economic and cultural perspectives
• Increased feelings of self-confidence, value, worth, and empowerment
• A personal set of life goals
• Positive relationships with peers, artists, educators and counselors that last a lifetime
 

OCU needs your help to make this retreat a reality!

The pilot program costed approximately $25,000 to launch, which included: class facilitation, renting of the venues, accommodations, transportation, curriculum development, books and art supplies, insurance, evaluations, food, outreach for youth, initial production costs for the documentary film and stipends for peace educators.

Sponsor A Youth!
Your gift of $700 you will give one youth the chance to be in the program for six months.

Your gift of $360 you will give one youth the chance to be in the program for three months.

Your gift of $60 you will give one youth the chance to be in the program for one month.

Or, give from your heart as you’re able, and we will put it to good use for the students!