youth institute - YMCA of Greater Long Beach

NATIONAL
YOUTH INSTITUTE
NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 1
ISSUE 1
JULY 2012
LONG BEACH, CA • ANAHEIM, CA • AZUSA, CA • BERKELEY, CA • EAST LA, CA • EAST PALO
ALTO, CA • RAPID CITY, SD • SANTA ANA, CA • SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA • SOUTH CENTRAL LA, CA
CONTACTS
The 2012 Youth Institute Replication is well underway. As of now we
have 13 Youth Institutes operating from
throughout California and Rapid City,
South Dakota.
Over 400 youth are busy finalizing their films and getting ready for their
own film festivals to take place in their
local communities. But the program will
culminate into a National Youth Institute
Film Festival and Awards Ceremony on
Sunday, August 26th at the Scottish Rite
Theater in downtown Long Beach, CA.
The youth will be able to showcase their
best films and there will be an award for
1st, 2nd and 3rd place for Best Picture in
categories for ‘New Class High School’,
‘Alumni High School’ and ‘New Class Middle School’.
So Youth Institutes do your
best and may the best picture win! More
importantly, it has been a great summer
with all of our youth and they have learned
so much in the areas of technology access
and creating content, research and multiple types of software. The skills that they
learned will be connected to their everyday lives both at school, home and future
work.
But their work is only beginning.
Now the Graduates or ‘Alumni’ from the
13 Youth Institutes will go out and do
service learning both at their high schools,
middle schools and the community teaching their new skills to younger children,
their peers, their families and the greater
community. We require every Youth Institute Alumni to teach these skills to at least
ten others throughout the year in the Year
Round Youth Institutes at their sites. They
will do this through Get Connected Fairs,
After School Programs and Family Nights.
They will also help families and
other youth find access to broadband
within their communities and train others
on the importance of broadband access in
their communities.
So in closing, a HUGE Congratulation’s
goes out to the NEW CLASS of the 13
Youth Institutes. You are a part of something BIG and EXCITING!
And a GREAT BIG THANK
YOU to the young Youth Institute Consultants who took on a big challenge and
ran their Youth Institutes well this summer! You have created new Youth Institutes both in atmosphere, program and
MAGIC!
Another HUGE THANKS goes
to our partner agencies for trusting us
and taking a chance on a very new and innovative approach to Youth Work. You are
pioneers!
- Bob Cabeza
Founder, YMCA Youth Institute
NATIONAL YMCA YOUTH INSTITUTE • 525 EAST 7TH STREET • LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA 90813 • (562) 624-5474 • (562) 624-5469
• BOB CABEZA, Vice President of Community Development
email [email protected]
• BOBBY KLEIN, Operations Director
email [email protected]
• LES PETERS, Executive Director of Youth Institute
email [email protected]
• EDDIE GARDINER, College Readiness Director
email [email protected]
• LEO SALCIDO, Senior Art Director of Change Agent Productions
email [email protected]
• RON UNG, Logistics Director
email [email protected]
• BEN CANDEE, Digital Media Artist Change Agent Productions
email [email protected]
WWW. L B YM C AYI. O R G • WW W. C H A N G EA G E NTP RODU CTI ONS.ORG • W W W.Y MCACAMBODI AP ROJ E CT.OR G
LONG BEACH YOUTH INSTITUTE • LONG BEACH, CA
YMCA of Greater Long Beach
Community Development
YOUTH INSTITUTE
Youth Institute Experience
When I entered the Youth Institute, I thought it
was just learning about computers so I thought it would be
good for me. I didn’t know that they offered so much more
then like camping trips or visiting colleges. Instantly, I fell in
love with the program because of all the things it offered. It
will help me prepare for college, learn writing skills, uncover
computer skills, learn group dynamics, and so much more. I
especially enjoyed our camping trip, because we all bonded
and learned about the importance of teamwork.
The first day of camping was great, because I already met new people and learned how to work together with everyone. All of
the new class hung out together as if they had been friends for a long time. We bumped heads a couple of times in the activities, but that
was the point of the activities. They made us frustrated so we could learn how to tackle obstacles in life. The advice was really helpful,
because they are things we need in life. I also learned how to take risks like going polar bear dipping which is going in the freezing river
in the early morning. Even though the camping trip was fun, it was meant to prepare us for when we really had to work. I recommend
this program to all teens because it’s a lot fun and work but worth it, because it makes school seem too easy compared to this program.
- Daniela B.
YI New Class
I came to the Youth Institute when I was a 10th grader in 2007. Back then, it was a lot different. For one thing, the comuters
weren’t as good as they are now. Another thing was that was also a lot more tamed than before. When I was just a student for the Youth
Institute, I learned how to use Adobe Creative Suite, Cinema4D, and Final Cut Pro. But, as much as I learned from the program, I didn’t
spend much time appreciating it to its fullest. This is because I hadn’t focused on the people, only the technology. In other words, I
didn’t bond with my fellow peers, thus leading to me vanishing for 5 years, only to return in 2012, trying to get back into the Y and being more involved with the people.
When I came back to the program in early June 2012, I had originally thought that they would not recognize me as part of the
organization; however, it was different. They accepted me back in with open arms, initially offering me to volunteer at the Wilderness
Retreat. This eventually led me to working at the YMCA. I was astonished at this kind of hospitality. I had come back to the YMCA
not as a stranger, but as a long lost family member; seeing old faces, and many new. This even made me come to appreciate what the
program stood for even more than before.
Right now, I am a college student at California State University, Long Beach. And as far as I know, I probably wouldn’t be at my
current position without the help of the YMCA.
- Alex Fong
YI Class of 2007 &
YI Staff at Long Beach
2 • NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER
STEPHENS YOUTH INSTITUTE • LONG BEACH, CA
YMCA of Greater Long Beach
Community Development
STEPHENS YOUTH INSTITUTE
The first Stephens Middle School Youth Institute was
created in June 2006. It was a time of growth and new beginings.
Exciting things were happening with the High School Youth
Institute and it was only right that we spread the wealth of knowledge and experiences to our younger generation at one of the
middle schools on the west side of town.
My name is Phyras, class of 2003 and now Director for
the Stephens Youth Institute 2012. It feels amazing being back
where I had the opportunity to run my first Youth Institute class
at 19 years old back in 2006. Many of our alumni from that year
are now in college, interns from major corporations, or giving
back as staff for over 13 sites across the country. It’s truly amazing to see how they’ve taken everything they’ve learned from this
program and applied it to better themselves and help make their
dreams come true.
our youth. This class has been both emotionally and physically
fulfilling. The stories are strong but the bond is much stronger.
Each and everyone one of these youth have something to say
and they are using the tools they are learning to properly express
themselves. They inspire me everyday.
Whoever said kids are not capable of producing amazing work and creating art is completely wrong. These young
people are no different from any other kids across America. Give
them a camera, a computer, and a little trust and see what they
come up with. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. This has been my
life for the past couple of weeks and I wouldn’t have it any other
way.
- Phyras Men
YI Class of 2003 &
Stephens YI Director
Now we have a new group of leaders here at the
Stephens Youth Institute and it’s looking very promising. With
forty-three new class members to create and design their movies and magazine, the past four weeks have been intense and full
of surprises. Returning Alumni, Johnny Maldonado, Crystalline
Sicat, Jaira deLeon, Leo Trejo, and Jose Aleman are this year’s
mentors and are doing a phenomenal job teaching and inspiring
Stephens Youth Institute Staff: (right to left) Crystalline Sicat, Jonathan Maldonado, Leo Trejo,
Phyras Men, Jose Aleman and Jaira de Leon
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER • 3
ANAHEIM YOUTH INSTITUTE • ANAHEIM, CA
ANAHEIM FAMILY YMCA
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
When most adults see a group of
youth on the street, they have a tendency
to see the group as a whole. Most see
loud, noisy, rambunctious kids swarming
around like a hive of frenzied bees, and the
majority would choose to avoid them as
they would bees.
Blame the Gestalt effect.
The Youth Institute is different. Our youth are wild, free-spirited and
teeming with creativity. We like it that
way. The Youth Institute isn’t about giving
perks to already privileged youth, it’s about
creating a safe haven for underprivileged
teens who may have never known a helping hand or an open ear. It has always been
claimed that the youth are our future, and
the Anaheim youth reflect just that. The
varied and mixed cultural backgrounds
and smiling faces are precursors for a
bright future. Learning to overcome
differences, physically or mentally, and
teaching the true meaning of words like
“integrity”, “compassion” and “humility”
are the basic tenants of the YI mission.
Our youth are as varied as a bouquet of
wild flowers. They are comprised of special
needs youth, a former gang member, a
recently relocated teen from South Africa,
two eccentric sisters, a cancer survivor,
some living under the poverty line, another who is from South India, an exceptionally intelligent teen, video game fiends,
and one young woman who has lived in
five countries throughout Europe and Africa before the age of twelve. Our children
reflect our community and they reflect the
direction our world is moving in.
While the world becomes increasingly
globalized, it has become that much more
important for our youth to develop skills
that are transferable on a global scale.
Digital media creation is only one of those
skills. Bob Cabeza has shared his vision
that “it isn’t about teaching youth to love
school, it’s about teaching them to love
learning.” The Youth Institute is about incubating and nurturing the creative spark
that resides in everyone. By cultivating
a love for learning, the transition to a
responsible adulthood is eased. Teens learn
problem-solving skills, grow to accept cultural differences, take on leadership roles,
critical thinking and even foreign language
acquisition become increasingly smaller
hurdles while the youth are able to focus
4 • NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER
on larger issues.
As a manifestation of our physical and cultural differences, but shared
humanity, YI consultant Daniel Meza
photographed his youth under an unchanged lighting style and viewpoint to
put emphasis on the physical differences,
such as facial features, while the youth
were instructed to give “their most unattractive face possible”. The photographs
were printed at 12”x18” in high contrast
black and white to further blend the lines
between skin color and hung on display in
the computer lab for all to see.
In the way that a single flower is a
beauty to behold, a bouquet of varied flowers is something to be cherished. Just as
flowers’ different colors, shapes and sizes
complement each other to form something greater than the sum of it’s parts. The
Anaheim Youth Institute’s unique blend of
creativity, spontaneity and cultural differences continue to draw close parallels to
the bouquet’s rare beauty.
- Daniel Meza
YI Consultant Anaheim
THINK TOGETHER AZUSA YOUTH INSTITUTE • AZUSA, CA
THINK Together Azusa
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
The first few weeks of the Azusa High Youth Institute
have been remarkable. It is exciting for me to see young youth
making art out of what they have learned. Some youth enjoy
beautifying pictures of celebrity faces and making graphic
designs on free images that they pull from the Internet. Other
youth have created impressive object videos by recording their
movie with different shots, angles, and camera rules. As a college
student and first time staff, I am overjoyed when a child shows
that he/she understands the concepts taught within the program.
Above all, it is an honor for me to work with Youth Institute staff
Ben Falealili—who is hilarious by the way—and other Think
Together Staff such as Yalina, Eduardo, Kyle, and Brian.
Also, the children are happy to have bonded with a new
family. They know more about one another than they do about
an average classmate during school hours. After having a family
slide presentation, and a long/short term goals project, the class
has learned about each other’s family history and future dreams.
This is significant because rarely would a young person get a
chance to talk about their personal life within the school system.
Not only do the students enjoy this program, we are seeing excitement within the parents as they eagerly ask, “When does this
program start again?”
I personally like the expression of my youth faces when
I teach them something new. It is hard for me to pick out the
nicest memory I had from the program so far because I love all
my youth. In camp, a youth named, Brandon asked me what I
wanted for lunch. On the fourth week of class, another youth
named, Elizabeth brought me something to eat when I did not
have a lunch. I cannot forget Jiapeng, a youth whom recently
moved to America from China, who made enough homemade
pork and chicken dumplings to go around for the entire class.
At the end of each day, I also enjoy waiting for youth, Alejandra
and Samuel to get picked up because we would have wholesome
conversations that will make memories last.
I hope to gain more knowledge and teaching experience out
of the program. I want to exercise their critical thinking skills,
teamwork skills, and leadership skills. Since we are about to go
into moviemaking, I am excited to see what they will make with
the skills that they have learned.
- Vigeneareay Phriang
YI Class of 2008 &
YI Consultant THINK Azusa
5 • NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER
THINK TOGETHER GLADSTONE YOUTH INSTITUTE • AZUSA, CA
Often time people don’t notice the things they’re good at
till they experience it.
I never thought I would open up with all the
youth and staff when we went Kings Canyon for a week. I
was wrong. Before I came to the Youth Institute, I used to
think that I didn’t have a voice to speak up and be a leader.
Thanks to the Youth Institute, I have seen a side of me that
I never knew existed in my soul.
The first week of the Youth Institute we went to
Kings Canyon National Park for a Wilderness Retreat. It
took us about eight hours to get there and eight hours to
get back. When we arrived we had a little meeting about
what we would be doing. We were told to build a round
house and unpack the U-Haul truck. I gave a helping
hand in both areas. As we were building the round house
we were having some difficulties with the tarps, when
suddenly I had a brilliant idea and explained it to one of
the staff. He told me to announce it to everyone else. That
was a little scary at first but after a while I got the hang of
it and couldn’t keep my ideas or thoughts to myself as the
days went by. The reason for that was because I found my
voice out in the Canyons or as I like to say out in “Mother
Nature”.
I have gained many experiences through the
Youth Institute. I’m increasing my skills with Microsoft
Office Suite. I have learned more about Adobe Photoshop
and video editing software. I also gained the ability to
interact more with my fellow class mates and cooperate
with them. It’s also helping me increase my social skills
amongst people. I haven’t ever felt this alive before!
THINK Together Gladstone
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
- Ivone A.
YI New Class 2012
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER • 6
BERKELEY YOUTH INSTITUTE • BERKELEY, CA
YMCA of the Central Bay Area
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
PG&E Teen Center Berkeley
“I’m here to respect you, have fun,
and stay alive, and I did it” one of the girls
said to me as we packed up our sleeping
bags. It was our last day in Kings Canyon
and this sentiment perfectly captured the
week that would define the rest of the summer. Before I entered into camp, I began
my journey with the Youth Institute with
the intention of creating a transformative,
safe, and healing space for teens to grow
into new chapters of their life. I didn’t
know what form that creation would take,
how the space would manifest, or what
story may cross my path. I understood
the Youth Institute as a marriage of the
old world and the new world. It acting
as a union of our past and what lays in
our future, and the opportunity to allow
both paradigms to coexist in our everyday
activities and relationships. The pairing
of the wilderness retreat and the technology component serves as a balance that
otherwise would not exist. In the woods,
among the trees, under the stars, sitting
around the fire, teens return to another
time. Their instinct is uncovered. Their
truths are exposed. They are given the
words to describe the importance of ritual
and tradition. When they return to the city
and enter the tech lab with cutting edge
technology, they do so grounded in the
ancient practices the woods have taught
them.
The girl who made the comment
had no idea at the time how true her words
would be and how far they would carry
her through the
program. The
Youth Institute
is a practice of
mutual respect,
between staff
and youth, between the youth
themselves, and
between all the
differing identities that make
the self. The
Youth Institute
is an initiation
for teens. It is a
place for those that have never experienced
a childhood and need to return so that
they can cross into adulthood with a pure
heart. It is also a home for those that have
been waiting to transition but haven’t had
the tools to do so. I have been in youth
work for a number of years, and the thing
I see over and over again that transcends
place and time is that we don’t prepare our
youth for adulthood. We don’t guide them
and we don’t welcome them. The stories
we hear at the Youth Institute are powerful.
I am always moved to silence and respect
for these kid’s experiences. My job, the
Youth Institute’s job, becomes to not only
“literally” keep these kids alive and off the
street, but to metaphorically keep them
alive and excited. To ignite in them a passion for learning, a desire for compassion,
and the confidence to use their creativity
as an agent of change. Running the Berkeley Youth Institute is my job, but I love it
more than just a job. Everyday I am able to
consciously choose to be there. The Youth
Institute is a choice. No matter how powerful the experience, how fun the activities,
how difficult the process, at the end of the
day each person involved has to make a
deliberate choice to be there and when that
happens, a community forms.
- Pegah Rahmanian
YI DIRECTOR Berkeley
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER • 7
EAST LA YOUTH INSTITUTE • LOS ANGELES, CA
YMCA OF METROPOLITAN LOS ANGELES
WEINGART EAST LA YMCA
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
East LA, Tell Us Your Story
Imagine coming to place where
everyone is a stranger. A place where
everyone is categorized as Hispanic or
Latino, but diversity, creativity and courage
is hiding behind their natural fears and
discomforts. A place where challenges will
arise, yet leaders will emerge and uncertainty will blossom into a wonderful new
world of caring, kindness, and compassion.
Creativity then becomes second nature, all
formed from a bond created at a campfire
on the night of June 28, 2012. This is the
East Los Angeles Youth Institute.
Our youth and staff shared a
campfire that night that was sacred to us
all. Each and every one of our youth and
staff were brought to a place where there
were no barriers between us. We were
able to share our story. Not just a story
about where we work, where we may go to
school, or what we do in our spare time,
but a story about who we are as people,
as human beings, and what made us the
people we are today. Many of us shared
heartfelt stories that brought the group to
tears. We broke down those city shells that
incased us, and became not only friends,
but also family. Our new class now knows
things about the staff and each other that
many other people may not know.
The trust level amongst the group
was incredible. Being able to understand
one another and learn that we are not
alone in our everyday life struggles was
key to forming the true relationships that
are needed to create magic this summer.
Back in East LA, the vibe was amazing as
our new class reflected their feelings about
8 • NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER
camp, and being back home. Many of them
feel like home is at our Youth Institute
facility. They’re ready and willing to accept
all that the Youth Institute has to offer,
from the technology skills to learning what
it means to be an important young adult in
their community. Every new class participant possesses the qualities of leadership in
their own way. Whenever a task is presented, they are able to use their creativity to
come up with the most unique ideas while
working as a team. For example, coming
up with their movie ideas was a fulfilling
experience to witness because there was
teamwork, communication, cooperation,
trust, creativity, and innovation. Working
together is now a part of their lifestyle.
At the East LA Youth Institute,
true bonds have been formed that may last
a lifetime.
- John Sanders
YI Class of 2003 &
YI Consultant East LA
RAPID CITY YOUTH INSTITUTE • RAPID CITY, SD
YMCA of RAPID CITY
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
Harney Peak is a trail located in the Black Hills of South
Dakota. It is a gorgeous hike with great views over many lakes
such as Horse Thief (our campsite is located there). If you ever get
a chance to go on this hike- take it! I know who ever goes will love
it and want to do it again someday. It will put you to your limits in
terms of endurance and strength. I say if you want a good workout and you want to enjoy nature I would recommend Harney
Peak because there are a lot of people going but everyone goes at a
different pace so you can still enjoy yourself. Harney Peak is a 12
mile hike there and back. If you do go to Harney Peak be prepared
to pack a lunch, some water and if we had some, energy drinks. At first glance people might think that Harney Peak is
going to be boring, but once you start going it really isn’t. There
are views when you are walking up that are just breathtaking. Its
a whole family event that everyone can enjoy. I have trekked this
hike and I can say I loved Harney Peak. I thought is was a good
experience for our whole group and although it was tiring, it was
very fun. I guarantee you will have loads of fun so if you are ever
in the Black Hills, I would suggest you check it out!
- TRISTEN M.
YI New Class
“Great Faces Great Places.” It’s written on every license
plate and it’s the very first thing I can remember about my experience in Rapid City South Dakota. I was given the opportunity to
run my own Youth Institute, the same program I went through in
2007. It was something new for me and the program itself, never
has the program been operated in a state other than California or in
a surrounding that wasn’t urban.
In 2007 I was a fairly coy boy. I didn’t like talking in front of my peers nevertheless the staff. I’ve been in the Youth Institute
for 5 years now. I followed through with the alumni program and honed my skills since. When the opportunity to try something new
in South Dakota came along, I wasn’t reluctant to try something new. As soon as I got off the plane the people I was going to work with
were extremely nice and made everything easier for me. Once I met the kids I knew it was going to be a good summer, their styles of
thinking and acting were rich and diverse. Every single one of them offered something different and something to relate to. The first
obstacle was the wilderness retreat, I’ve done many and there always seems to be a challenge. The great part about this one was the fact
that the kids were stepping up and putting matters into their own hands. They were close the entire week and formed a great group
friendship.
After the wilderness retreat the program seemed to run smoothly. I worked hard to prepare for every lesson and make sure
the kids had the best opportunity to gain something. The kids weren’t shy to ask each other or me for help. They all finished the program and all opened up to new things. They now have a cool spot to go hang out, practice what they’ve learned, or learn something
new. But I can leave the program knowing I contributed to something successful and tell people that I got to see Great Faces and Great
Places.
- Angel Ramirez
YI Class of 2007 &
YI Consultant Rapid City, SD
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER • 9
THINK TOGETHER CENTURY YOUTH INSTITUTE • SANTA ANA, CA
THINK Together Century
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
Venturing out to a new city to replicate the
Youth Institute was something really extraordinary. We
are replicating everything that has been done at Long
Beach Youth Institute and creating new institutes around
the world. Prisma and I have been placed in Santa Ana
Century High School to replicate a Youth Institute. My
first interaction with the youth was at our first meeting. I saw all the looks on their faces when we described
the wilderness retreat, they were nervous, shocked and
anxious. They didn’t really know what to expect. Then I
started to reflect back to when I was in their seats experiencing the same emotions.
On our way up to Kings Canyon on the bus
ride, all the kids were quiet. They kept to themselves. We
shared the bus with another Santa Ana site. Throughout the week the youth had to do everything in groups
that included making lunches, cooking dinner, cleaning dishes and setting up their own sleeping area. Also
during the week every one of the groups was put through
team building activities in which they could not complete
without every member helping. The youth bonded and
became a family. On our way back on the bus ride, the
Youth Institute effect came into play. Everybody seemed
so much closer to each other; they started singing on the
bus and talking to each other, they were being themselves
and having a good time.
Our first day into the program you could see
the youth excited to be back and see each other. We have
formed new families in Santa Ana. The youth here are
very unique and creative. They are very persistent in becoming alumni and being part of the Institute next year.
.
- Eduardo Garcia
YI Class of 2006 &
YI Consultant THINK Century
10 • NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER
THINK TOGETHER VALLEY YOUTH INSTITUTE • SANTA ANA, CA
THINK Together Valley
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
Wilderness Retreat
Though we warned
them ahead of time, the two
sites (including Century and
Valley High School of Santa
Ana) were in for a surprise upon arrival. There was no cabin (with the exception of the restroom building), no electrical outlets, no
refrigerator, and no phone service. The rival high schools were a bit defiant towards the chores that doubled as team building processes
at the beginning of the week. However, as time went on and newer challenges were given to them, their bonds began to grow and they
began to intermingle so well, that before we knew it, the staff weren’t able to tell which kids belonged to what site!
“Devil’s Maze was horrible, frustrating, and it was hot and I was thirsty.” –Alfredo, YI new class
Just as the staff had gained the trust and respect of the kids, the Devil’s Maze had to have made an appearance. The Devil’s
Maze is the ultimate team builder, which breaks them down the entire time and builds them right back up as soon as it is solved.
Though they couldn’t tell during the process of trying to solve the Devil’s Maze, it’s meant to show them the frustrations they can face
and to not always be dependent on the staff, but rather each other. It tests their breaking points and how they will react when a new
hurdle is faced, just as they were getting over the last one given to them.
“Helped me realize you have to communicate with the people
around you and that you have to say your opinion, so it helps you
with your movie in your groups.” –Jennifer, YI new class
Campfire talks became deeper and much longer towards the
end of the week. We went from hearing things like “When will
we go back home?” to “We only have one more day left together!”
Once they became used to sharing each other’s company, they
soon became comfortable sharing each other’s stories. This is the
magic of the wilderness retreat; though they have only spent a
week, because of the challenges and adversities they face, they
come through it feeling as though they are family. Everyone leaves
King’s Canyon with experiences and lessons that they can take
with them not just to the Youth Institute lab, but also to apply to
their everyday lives.
“It was a life experience that was unforgettable. It’s something that happens once in a lifetime.”-Enrique, YI new class
- Sally Sanchez
YI Class of 2008 &
YI Consultant THINK Valley
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER • 11
SAN LUIS OBISPO YOUTH INSTITUTE • SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
YMCA OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
Santa Lucia Middle School in Cambria, California is starting its
first year as part of the YMCA Youth Institute family. Cambria, California is a rural town with a population of 6,032 people. This summer the
YMCA Youth Institute has a total of 27 middle school students participating in this program. 70 percent of our students come from Hispanic
families and the other 30 percent come from Caucasian families. With
this new program our students are experiencing a new understanding
for each other and understanding the meaning of an outside family.
Cambria’s Youth Institute is going into its 4th week of its 6-week summer program. Our students are expanding their knowledge in Digital
Arts and they are creating amazing work in professional programs such
as Adobe Illustrator, Garage Band, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and InDesign. They are currently working together in their production groups to
create a film. Story boarding, filming, audio, and editing are filling our
days into long working hours. There is a huge creative flow of ideas and great imaginations occurring amongst our 4 production groups
on site.
During our Wilderness retreat, the Cambria kids were able to adapt to a new surrounding and to a new diverse group of
students. Cambria is a small rural town where youth’s are not exposed to a very diverse community. Being able to meet Long Beach
Stephen’s Middle School was a huge breakthrough for our Cambria youth. Many of these kids created new friendships that will always
be remembered at King Canyon National Park and that hopefully will be relived through out the summer to come.
A huge part for the hard work and dedication that our youth are being able to achieve this summer, comes from the amazing
help of their YMCA director Dan Hartzell. Dan Hartzell is passionate about the future of his youth, not only through what they can
create through Digital Media Arts but also with how they can become successful human beings. Aside from all the teaching that is being done at the Cambria Youth Institute site, there is also a lot of mentoring being done by all the Staff. The parent involvement in this
community is beyond anything any one of us Staff has experienced. The parent involvement is huge and a very important factor for the
growth of our Cambria kids. We are shaping our youth to become bright individuals for their community and for the world.
- Melinda Amado
YI Class of 2005 &
YI Consultant San Luis Obispo
12 • NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER
SOUTH CENTRAL YOUTH INSTITUTE • LOS ANGELES, CA
YMCA OF METROPOLITAN LOS ANGELES
WEINGART YMCA WELLINESS
& AQUATIC CENTER
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
Here at the South Central Weingart YMCA, we are having the time of our lives. Coming from the wilderness retreat and getting into our setting as a Youth Institute came naturally to the kids and the staff here. As part of the Long Beach YMCA, I was welcomed with open arms and warm hearts. As the program started the youth were so engaged, it really made everything easy on both
consultants, the site director and the staff here at South Central Weingart YMCA.
I believe as the youth started to use the technology, they expanded their expectations for themselves. Looking at how they portrayed themselves in their “Futuring” project, it showed me the dedication and drive that our youth want for their life. Taking further
steps with our youth is a great transition into maturity and work ethic. Things are only going to get brighter!
- Leslie Barnes
YI Class of 2006 &
YI Consultant So Central LA
The YMCA Youth Institute summer wilderness retreat was an unique and interesting experience. There was an extreme amount of
pressure and responsibility on our shoulders and I believe we handled it very well and things ended running smoother then expected.
Leaders developed, new friends were made, people who were quiet, talked non-stop as the week progressed. Bottom line the mission
was accomplished. The obstacles we threw their way were accomplished in a way that I’ve never seen in my eight years of experience
in this program and all the expectations were exceeded. They trusted one and other and us, they worked hard, they opened up to each
other and really created the magic that has fueled this program to the point to where it is today. Whether it was the ice breaking team-building activities, the devils maze, trusting me with their lives at Muir Rock and especially the spirit lifting campfires, the retreat was one of the uplifting rewarding experiences I’ve ever had, I felt the love and care in the
air and it made me excited about working with the youth I consider mine this summer.
- AJ Thomas
YI Class of 2004 &
YI Consultant So Central LA
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER • 13
NATIONAL
YOUTH INSTITUTE
525 East 7th St • Long Beach, CA 90813
NATIONAL YOUTH INSTITUTE CALENDAR
JULY 24 - 29
Y-World Alliance Training
Long Beach, CA.
AUGUST 4
Film Festival &
Graduation - Rapid City, SD
AUGUST 11
Film Festival &
Graduation - Long Beach,
Berkeley, EPA, THINK Santa Ana
AUGUST 18
Film Festival &
Graduation - East LA, So Central LA, Anaheim, THINK Azusa
AUGUST 26
National YI Film Festival Long Beach, CA
YMCA of SILICON VALLEY
LEWIS AND JOAN PLATT EAST PALO ALTO FAMILY YMCA
YOUTH
INSTITUTE
My name is Luis, I am an alumni of 2011. When I started the
program, it had its ups and downs. In the end, the accomplishing
feeling of finishing your movie and getting your magazine done
makes one realize that if you set goals, you can achieve them with
enough commitment. When you’re in this program, there is no
racism no profiling no richer or poorer kids, its all kids that are working together to achieve something bigger then themselves. In the
beginning some kids may not see that but at the end who ever is committed to it, has the changed character. They achieve this, not just
by learning from staff but also by being inspired by other youth in this program. There are those who can use the software like professionals and some who aren’t as fortunate. It is great when you see those who help others outside their production groups. As teenagers we naturally avoid asking our peers for help. This program is more than just a class it is a second family. I love this program even
though I was reluctant in the beginning. I started out as a kid who didn’t want to be a part of the group. I was so used to being on my
own in projects but when other kids pulled their weight and helped, it inspired me to allow people into my comfort zone.
Now I want to be the first homegrown staff at the Youth Institute of East Palo Alto. From what I see is that the staff who have
been in the program can connect to the new class and ultimately understand what the YI is all about. Many know EPA for its very
dangerous history and many believe the kids don’t have much to give to society but when they finish this program a lot of them start to
act differently. They start to realize that it is not just about surviving in society but to also influence it. To those who read this and have
been in the program you understand what I mean and for those who are learning about the program for the first time, I hope you have
been motivated to help build this program.
- Luis P.
YI EPA Alumni 2011