“To me, this symbolizes everything that is good about Hunts Point,” Stephen Ritz, a local community member who came out to march in the parade.  “Today symbolizes community spirit, togetherness, and banding together.”

The parade was filled with local residents and community groups who support Hunts Point and the upward turn it has recently undergone.

“I’ve heard about what Hunts Point was,” said Michaela, the first person ever to give a “State of Hunts Point Address.”  She was one of two winners of a essay contest to see who would give the speech. Michaela is lives outside of Hunts Point, and the other winner resides within the peninsula.

“I know that some of my friends are scared to walk all the way down their blocks, but every time I’m here I am consumed by everlasting experiences and opportunities.”

People looking for change came out in force, and this was especially apparent amongst the community groups that have sprouted up on the peninsula. HPAC was joined by The POINT, the Bronx Charter School for the Arts, Project HOPE, the Bronx River Alliance, and the Bronx Classic Riders in the parade.

Fish Parade Video

HPAC was handing out pairs of free, environmentally friendly blue jeans to anyone who wanted them all day.

“We get to give out information to other women,” said Samantha Serrano, a member of WOMEN.  The group is a part of the POINT that disperses information and organizes groups to help foster women’s and LGBTQ rights within Hunts Point.  “ We get to tell them that there is somebody who is understanding.”

The parade marched through local streets, gathering marchers as it went along.  When the parade stopped in Barreto Park, the festivities began.

“I’m here with my friends and extended family to celebrate the joy, hope and vision that is Hunts Point in the new millennium,” Ritz said. “I’ve lived through the worst, and I am so excited about the best, which is yet to come.”

“This is our hope for the future,” he said.

City Year unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change the world. As tutors, mentors, and role models, these young leaders make a difference in the lives of children and transform schools and neighborhoods across the United States and in South Africa.

In the South Bronx, City Year corps members serve in schools as tutors, mentors, role models and leaders of after-school programs. They serve with PS 48, PS 75, PS 333/335, MS 302, MS 424 Hunts, The Point CDC, and HPAC. Through City Year’s service model – called Whole School, Whole Child – diverse teams of full-time corps members work to help improve student attendance, behavior and course performance – which research confirms are indicators of a student’s likelihood of graduation from high school.

The Whole School, Whole Child model maximizes the ability of corps members to help students and schools succeed and it allows corps members to provide the right interventions to the right students at the right time through:

• academic support
• attendance monitoring and incentives
• positive behavior support
• after-school programming
• in-school programs and activities such as assemblies and celebrations that improve the overall school environment