Mission Statement

TRUE Skool’s mission is to create positive sustainable change in the lives of youth through arts education and community service, inspired by the elements of Hip Hop culture.

 

History

TRUE Skool, Inc. has provided services and programs since 2004 and was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2005. Since our inception, TRUE Skool has continued to work with local and national artists, middle and high school aged youth, local and national community based/youth organizations, public officials, law enforcement agencies, small businesses, large corporations and schools/universities to empower youth and young adults through our unique programs and services.

 

Program Successes

2011...

Urban Arts Program
TRUE Skool served 75 unduplicated youth from February to November in 2011 between the ages of 14-19 years old. Youth who participated in our Urban Arts after-school and summer program completed a total of 194 hours of arts instruction and 440 hours of community service through program related activities.

We also maintained an 85% attendance rate, 85% of our court referrals enrolled in programming beyond their completed court ordered community service and 85% of court referrals had no police contact after being enrolled in our programs for at least 6 months.

Adopt a Community Program
TRUE Skool partnered with 4 organizations and over 50 volunteers to complete 6 community clean ups from July to August in the Cesar Chavez and Sherman Park/Midtown neighborhoods. Volunteers completed 120 hours during the clean ups, completed the Youth Empowerment Center mural, removed illegal graffiti, marked storm drains for Friends of Milwaukee Rivers and planted a vegetable garden at the Youth Empowerment Center.

Special Events, workshops, contracted services
In 2011 TRUE Skool participated in or hosted 32 major events with over 12,000 participants engaged in TRUE Skool workshops, programs and performances including ArtMilwaukee’s One Year Anniversary, Gallery Night, Basura Bash, Hip Hop Revival in Chicago, Summer of Peace Youth Rally, ACLU’s Youth Social Justice Forum and many more.

 

2010...

Urban Arts Program
TRUE Skool served over 75 youth from January to November between the ages of 14-19 years old. Between January and December, youth participants completed 246.5 hours of community service through various program related activities.

About 1/3 of our youth participants are referrals for community service through the juvenile justice system. After completing community service 85% continue to participate in our programs. We are also proud to maintain an 85% success rate for participants who are youth offenders with no unlawful police contacts after 12 months of participating in our programs.

Adopt a Community Program
TRUE Skool partnered with over 80 volunteers between the ages of 9-53 years old from 13 different community based organizations, local businesses and the Walker’s Point Association (a 150 member neighborhood association) to adopt a 5 block area in the Historic Walker’s Point Neighborhood. These volunteers put in over 40 hours of community service from July to September. From June to September, TRUE Skool also held 3 community meetings, removed over 40 incidents of illegal graffiti removal, marked 70 storm drains on behalf of Friends of Milwaukee Rivers, and conducted 6 community clean-ups in the adopted area at no charge to the businesses and residents. We also painted a community mural that reflects the history of the Historic Walker’s Point Neighborhood, as part of our effort to transform and beautify the neighborhood through public art.

Special Events, workshops, contracted services
In 2010 TRUE Skool participated in or hosted 24 major events with over 7,700 participants engaged in TRUE Skool workshops, programs and performances including Gallery Night, Milwaukee Art Museum: After Dark, Block Parties, Females in Hip Hop workshop, Summer of Peace Youth Rally, Youth Social Justice Forum and many more.

 

Organization Successes

TRUE Skool has doubled its operational budget every year since 2004 and has already continued that trend for 2011. ($37,000 in 2009, $79,000 in 2010, $151,000 in 2011)

 

 

Why Hip Hop?

Do you remember the days of your youth when you were excited to go to school, actually liked your teacher and wanted to learn? Today in Milwaukee, with one of the lowest high school graduation rates far too many young people see school as an obstacle rather than a means to success in life. TRUE Skool understands that we MUST create new solutions to old problems. Poverty, a troubled public school system, lack of positive opportunities and jobs for young people…things MUST change and we demand it happens now!
Coming from the “Golden Era of Hip-Hop” our instructors understand that Hip Hop culture was a positive empowering force in our lives as young people. It introduced us to past and present leaders, educated us on political and social issues through music and art, created new entrepreneurial opportunities and exposed us to different cultures and arts in ways that school never did.

We understand how popular culture, specifically hip-hop culture, has the power to provide unexplored opportunities for youth.  Our unique programs, such as the Urban Arts Program, is just that-an opportunity for participants to make significant change in their lives. They can look back and see the connection between our programs and changes in how they see themselves and their ability to be successful in life.