NJ MED (the New Jersey Minority Educational Development) is a non-profit organization, formed in 1995, designed to address and resolve the systemic problems of minority youth by providing innovative programming and technical assistance to existing educational, business, and community organizations.
NJ MED’s mission is to facilitate the development of inner-city youth toward higher education and career pursuits by fostering high academic and personal expectations.
The organization’s Goals are to:
1) provide minority students and their parents with appropriate curricular information early in their academic careers, and with college admissions, testing, and financial aid information in the appropriate later years;
2) to provide minority students with significant exposure to the collegiate environment and to adult and peer role models;
3) to provide local and state colleges and universities with eligible minority candidates for admission into college;
4) to increase the self-concept, social skills development, and career awareness of participating students in order to enhance their ability to function successfully in society;
5) to heighten parental and community awareness regarding the importance, and increased necessity, of post secondary education and to increase their involvement in the decision-making, application, and matriculation processes;
6) to link students with already existing academic support and development programs; and
7) to develop in program participants the necessary skills (cognitive, effective, and social) needed for academic, career, and life success.
Programs:
Youth Workshops – that are held in community neighborhoods to match families with community service organizations, from education, health, housing, food and job programs.
Career Awareness Day – host career preparation forums at local colleges for college freshmen and high school students with local professionals, from law enforcement, education, engineering, sports, entertainment, and business owners.
Teen Mothers Forum – an all-day conference for teen mothers, from prenatal care, daycare services, early childhood education, housing, child support, job training, and high school completion to college enrollment
NJ MED’s Minority Male Debate Championship – is an annual rival high school male debate contest between 9th to 11th graders, moderated by local business, community services, and church leaders.
Community Partnerships:
Cooperative Business Assistance Corporation 1995-2006
Rutgers-University, Camden Campus 1996-2006
Camden City School District 1996-2006
Camden County East NAACP 1997-2006
Sponsors/Founders:
New Jersey Human Service Department 1996
Save Our Waterfront 1997-2002
American Express 2000
Camden County Prosecutor 2001-2006
Google 2012-Current
Member of:
Opportunity Nation 2010-Current
America’s Promise Alliance 2010-Current
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference 2010-Current
Save Our Schools March 2010-Current
United Nations Economic and Social Council 2012-Current