Hip-Hop (youth development) will save you: A public-private multi-sector collaboration to bring intense regular physical activity and skill building to East Harlem housing project teens to combat high rates of obesity and school drop out

OBJECTIVES: We formed a collaboration between the residents' association of a local housing project, a non-profit in East Harlem specializing in after-school programming and the New York City Department of Health to commit staff time and seed money to enroll 30 children aged 12-17 living in the projects into a professional dance program taught by the nations only Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory. Participants meet for 3 hours, 3 times a week, every week including summers for 3 years. We measure improvements in BMI and school performance of participants. METHODS: We applied the literature on youth development to design an intense comprehensive intervention for teens. Using the convening power of the New York City Department of Health in Harlem, we formed a collaboration between the Department, a residents' association of a local housing project and a large non-profit to bring a professional dance conservatory to 30 Harlem children along with ancillary support services including literacy evaluation and instruction. RESULTS: The collaboration began in September 2009. We obtained funding for program year one December 2009. Recruitment, enrollment and participation in the Hip-Hop Program are on-going and will be fully underway by March 1, 2010. We will examine the BMI, cardiovascular fitness, diet, success in articulating a plan for professional attainment, test scores and school attendance of program participants. CONCLUSIONS: Public-private multi-sector collaboration is essential to providing comprehensive opportunities for low-income youth. Regular, intense, skill and capacity oriented programs for teens mediated by high ratios of caring adults may promote health along multiple indicators.