Neighborhood Students Explore What Makes The Community Great Through Cortelyou Library Program

Twenty students from elementary to high school have been meeting at the Cortelyou Library for the past month exploring the neighborhood through a camera lens and learning how to interview others thanks to a grant from the Citizens Committee for New York City.

The Friends of Cortelyou Library received the grant funding in May to run the program, called “My Neighborhood As I See It,” and were able to purchase seven cameras for students to learn to use.Carmen Mason Browne, a member of the Friends of Cortelyou Library, led the free project. “It has been such a great project and the students really got into it,” says Carmen.The workshop had two local instructors, Janae Jones and Nicole Colbert, both of whom live in the neighborhood. And many of the children’s parents stayed and got involved with the workshop as well.

The students practiced interviewing skills and learned to take photos with the new cameras.

The younger children, who met on Saturday afternoons, did a collective group activity and took pictures along the street and interviewed the Fire Department, while the older students, who met on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, interviewed and photographed individual neighbors.

“They were so positive about their neighborhood and gave really specific examples of why,” says Carmen. “It was very moving and just wonderful.”

If you are curious about the outcome of the project, the photos and interviews conducted by the students will be featured in an exhibition at the library starting November 21.

“The kids have been part of the process right down to selecting the photos that they wanted to share,” says Carmen. “I think they’ll be wowed when they see the show.”

There will be a gala hosted at the library on Saturday, November 21 to kick off the exhibition from 2:30-4:30pm. if you plan to attend, the Friends ask you to RSVP at cortelyoulibraryfriends@gmail.com.

According to Carmen, the best part about receiving the grant funding is that the Friends now own the cameras and will be able to host similar projects in the future.

We are looking forward to seeing more of the neighborhood through the eyes of the community’s children.