OUR VALUES
OUR CORE VALUES ARE
AUTHENTICITY
INNOVATION
ENGAGEMENT
SELF-SUSTAINABLE
QUALITY OF LIFE
QUALITY
OF THE COMMUNITY
EXCEED EXPECTATIONS
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAMS & PROJECTS.
Responsibility
Mentoring
ALIVE has a deep commitment around teaching the value of hard work. It has developed perhaps one of the most unique initiatives in the community called Sow & Grow. In connection with Old Mt. Zion Church, we've created a community garden to cultivate healthy living and responsibility to the Earth around us. This initiative was developed in connection with MSOE (Milwaukee School of Engineering).
Each summer multiple families and students participate in understanding the value of gardening but more importantly engagement with healthy lifestyles. We have been so successful in this area that ALIVE has been asked to consult with other religious organizations in the community to expand this opportunity for youngsters.
One of the unique features of ALIVE has been its focus on mentoring. Evidence shows that mentoring is perhaps one of the single strongest positive factors in changing the lives of youth. ALIVE has developed a group of professionals who mentor these high school students and has put a particular focus around mentoring and creating programs that are STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) related and because STEAM is the future, we have started Steam Open, an umbrella for the steam efforts of ALIVE. STEAM OPEN has had summer camps in Milwaukee and participated and competed in large programs such as C-STEM where Steam Open won 1st place in the debugging championship.
Arts
Education
ALIVE recognizes that in order to create students' interest, it is important to have an attractive array of activities that connect with them, particularly for those students who are interested in the arts.
ALIVE annually hosts a variety of events that have received acclaim, including Timeless Harmony which started in 2012 and presents recognition of outstanding students in the arts. This event also recognizes educators who are involved in the arts, as well as students who have a strong aptitude for the arts. This annual program is co-hosted by a number of groups and has become one of the largest attractions for students.
ALIVE is one of the co-sponsors of the MKE Fellows, a unique initiative designed to better the lives of young Black men, and ultimately improve communities throughout Milwaukee, by recruiting some of the city’s best collegiate talent back to Milwaukee after graduation.
A foundational component of this intense effort is the volunteer commitment by local professionals in the areas of health, finance, business, law, and others, to provide our Fellows with training and development for career success. The Fellows program includes a series of educational and mentoring activities, networking, scholarships, and engagement in the community to increase Fellows' exposure to varied careers and build leadership skills. Students involved in this effort are recruited from Milwaukee high schools and attend colleges and universities throughout the nation. Its results have received acclaim from the business community as well as college and university partners.
A representative from one of our corporate partners describes their experience with the Fellows Initiative this way, "2015 was our first year having a Milwaukee Fellow at our company. We were extremely thankful for the lessons we learned in the process, and the innovation which happened with our team."
