A small Central Harlem store front holds talent, heart and soul. It is the home of Harlem Overheard.

In that store front, a group of young, dedicated Black and Latino students write about poetry, politics, sports, current events, and much more. The group publishes 20,000 copies, four times a year. The paper is distributed to all New York City High Schools and throughout the Big Apple.

Harlem Overheard (HO) started in the spring of 1996 by Editor-in-Chief, Shawn Dove. "Harlem Overheard is a real newspaper. The issues we cover are serious issues that society is concerned with," says Shawn Dove.

Journalists and editors from major publications, such as the Daily News, help the young writers express their words, ideas, and emotions by coming to the Harlem Overheard headquarters on west 144th Street in Central Harlem.

It takes HO about 10 weeks, or every three months, for an issue to be published. The age group of the staff is mainly 12-21 with a pretty even mix of females and males.

Salahadeen Betts, one of the Associate Editors of HO, started as a writer, when the publication first began. He basically "grew up" in the store front on 144th Street. Mr. Betts says HO really helped him out. It showed him the skills he has in himself for writing and editing.

"The message that HO is sending out is that youths have a voice and that youths have a lot to say. We want to expose that there are alternatives to everything. They don't just listen to rap. Some listen to gospel, and some listen to jazz. Youths are not as negative as other media organizations portray them to be, and we are a very good example of that," said Mr. Betts.

Mr. Betts went on to say that HO also helped him towards his computer skills. "I've been through a lot and I've seen a lot. I've been outside on drugs, selling drugs doing different things. I've been to jail, I've done everything, dropped out of school, decided to go back to High School and get my diploma . . . Now I'm in college" says Salahadeen. He also says that without this program he might be where many of his high school friends are today - dead or in jail. Mr. Betts wants to see HO "blow up" and show people that the youth of Harlem are doing great things.

At 20, Jillian Osorio is one of the oldest writers of HO. Being with HO for one year has really changed her life. Wanting to be a journalist, she feels HO is her key to the writing door. Picturing herself as a poet during her early years as a child, she never thought she would ever be at this writing level. She really sees HO as a pad of writing. Whatever she wants to write about, she can just go to HO and it can be published. Ms. Osorio wants to see these young children exceed in life and become someone. She really feels these children have that chance of doing good things in the future.

All writers are placed in 3 pools (ranks): Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced. The goal here is to get everyone into the Advanced writing pool.

Harlem Overheard representative 15 year old Saran Adkinson spoke a little about what she does in the program other than being an advertising manager. She explains "At Harlem Overheard we are taught better Grammar skills, Writing, Interviewing, etc". She also stated that the program sets them in work groups of 9.Where they learn team work and responsibility.

"Angel's Take:

Harlem Overheard is a very positive adventure. Many young African Americans come out of this place with dreams of becoming writers. Seeing the similarities of HO and HarlemLive made me feel good, knowing that we (Harlemlive) we're not the only organization from Harlem doing something as wonderful as this. Both clubs can be considered as Mr. Dove said, "Youth development programs," changing the world's view of Harlem.

Visit Harlem Overheard's Web Site at: http://www.harlemoverheard.org

Just a few of Harlem Overheard Members