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"Step Up Speak Out Family Summit" at CSI encouragescommunity servicePublished: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 2:30 PMBy Vincent Gragnani / Advance CorrespondentSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - WILLOWBROOK -On the 82nd birthday of Rev. Dr. MartinLuther King Jr., the annual "Step Up SpeakOut Family Summit" drew more than 300young people and parents to the College ofStaten Island in Willowbrook for a day ofworkshops and performances designed toeducate, empower, enrich and entertainfamilies."This event is an annual must-do for me,"said City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-Participating in the annual 'Step Up Speak Out Family Summit' at theCollege of Staten Island, Willowbrook, are members of Girl Scout TroopNorth Shore), who cofounded the summit5363. (Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores)four years ago. "It's not only a celebrationof Martin Luther King's birthday, but itprovides a venue for the community to express what Martin Luther King's vision and dream means to them."It brings the entire community of Staten Island together and gives us an opportunity to reassess andredirect our efforts that young people make to improve out community," the councilwoman added.The Saturday morning workshops ranged from a Zumba class designed to encourage healthy living to onethat aimed to prepare high school students for college. But community service was also a major focus."All of the workshops are geared toward making the community a better place," said Shawn Landry, interimdirector of the College of Staten Island's Liberty Partnership Program. "You have to be prepared to give tothe community. Some of our students are not aware of what they have to give to the community."Aniya Allen, a student at Life Science Secondary School in Manhattan, attended two workshops Saturday:"Turn tour talent into Ca$h" and "What do my clothes say about me?"The first gave her a few lessons on how she might run a business as an adult. The advice may be valuableas she pursues her goals of becoming a chef and teaching children how to cook.Page 128 of 157