Central Recreation Takes Coro Fellows Under Its Wing
Coro Fellows Max Slavkin and Gary L. Johnson
Today CORO Fellows Gary L. Johnson and Max Slavkin wrap up their placement with Parks’ Central Recreation division. The CORO Fellows Program in Public Affairs is a nine-month, full-time, post-graduate leadership training program that provides diverse and driven individuals with the tools, experiences, and networks they need to become effective agents of change. Acceptance in the program is competitive and only a select number are chosen. Fellows go through a rotation of field placements during their nine month tenure. They spend about a month in each organization, which include City agencies, non-profits, political offices, private corporations and other institutions. As some of you may know, our own Evan George got his first taste of being a Parkie by being a Coro Fellow.
Gary L. Johnson grew up in Harlem and received his B.A. in Political Science from Hampton University in Virginia where he played an active role in several community service organizations. While serving on the student government committee, Gary received the honorable chair award for his contributions. He also received the Helping Hands awards for his efforts working with the Harlem Children’s Zone, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to low income families. Gary has been charged with the task of creating a blueprint for a program for establishing community farms at up some of our Afterschool program sites. “I hope that my efforts will be the beginning of an initiative that can potentially make a difference in the lives on many,” he said.
Max grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of Southern California with his B.A. in Political Science. He served as Student Body Vice President at USC where he worked on housing and sustainability issues on and off campus. As an elected member of his Neighborhood Council he saw how powerful an organized group of people can be in affecting change. “I am very excited about my current participation in the Coro Fellowship and my first placement in Parks,” Max said. Max was assigned to work on the R.E.A.C.H. program and he was eager to learn as much as he can about the Parks Department in the short time he was here.
In their short time here, Gary and Max have met Commissioner Benepe, Mayor Bloomberg, attended the Best of Parks awards on Governor’s Island, and visited many recreation centers. Their next placement is working on elections and campaigns in New York City, though they have not yet been told their exact assignment.
Written by Adrienne Meryl-Stern
GO GREEN! ECO TIP OF THE DAY
Refurbish office electronics or relinquish them to non-profit 501-3C companies.
QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
(1884 – 1962)