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YMCA Teen Task Force
 Since the first day that I started working on the Teen Center Task Force, I have wondered when we would to start construction. Well, now is the time. I am so excited to see how we are going to transform the PG&E payment center into a beautiful teen center. Throughout these two years that I have been working on this project, we have gone through many fun, interesting, disappointing, and sometimes stressful moments, but we have always kept our goals clear. We need to get this project done; we need to provide a safe place for teens to go. Now that construction is coming up, I feel very happy because all the hard work the Teen Task Force has put into to this project will finally turn into a successful teen center. Luckily, our contractor will take us through the building once a month and take time to explain the renovation process. Their work seemed easy initially; but when we started talking about how we were going to keep parts of the building and at the same time build new things, I just wanted to hide. Still, the entire Teen Center Task Force is looking forward to starting construction and excited to see our dream come true. Here are a couple of pictures of what the building looks like now. Obviously I can’t wait to see how much this place changes. Let us know if you want a tour before construction is in full force!  
 Telegraph is famous for a lot of things. Cal, Hippies, and the home to revolution. A few weeks ago we visited The Green Youth Media Arts Center at 2781 Telegraph Ave in Oakland. The center advocates for a green lifestyle. It also aims to create a positive place for teens to go and channel their energy into positive and green activities. I liked that most of its interior was recycled and remade from old bits and pieces to fit the needs of the new center. Each room also had a theme: the entrance cove was painted black to represent the womb while the next room was a light airy blue to represent one's first breath. But the thing I liked most about the center was that it was personal and sincere. Everyone we met working there believed in their cause and their compassion was evident everywhere. It was this sincerity that made me feel welcomed, which is an important part of a teen center. Visiting The Green Media Arts Center made me realize how important it is that our teen center be personal and most important, welcoming. Luckily, with all the close work we've done so far, I know we're on our way to create a great center for teens! Also! A special thanks to Galen Peterson for showing us around The Green Youth Media Arts Center! Check out their blog here!
 Just yesterday, we found out that the cost of constructing the Teen Center in its current design is much higher than we can afford. In other words, were simply over-budgeted. As a result, there are some adjustments Pankow has provided. They recommended we take out the permeable pavement and the sun shades in front of the south and west side windows. When Tracy told us the news, I was shocked. These are two defining features of the building which I refuse to just let go of. The permeable pavement is by far one of the coolest features of our building because it allows any water on top of it to seep into the ground and the sun shades help to block out some of the sun, while adding some bold lines to increase the aesthetics. On top of all this, we’ve always been clearly on target for LEED Gold with Platinum at our fingertips. But getting rid of these items might mean we probably won’t reach our dream of Platinum. I don’t want to see these great things about our building lost. They’re some of the features we pushed for, because we wanted them, and I want them back. So once again, we’re attempting to bring in more donations through phone calls and grant writing. Wish us luck!
 Oh it is a colorful world…But what color is it? Last week we had the pleasure of journeying to the offices of Noll & Tam to discuss the colors and designs of our inside walls and ceilings. Coming in, we only knew we wanted the building to be different and artistic. We had only planned the “go” green outside as well as the stairway mural. So when we arrived, our immediate reaction to the mound of color and design samples was to be overwhelmed. There was every color imaginable and an array of what looked like hard bubble wrap, mirrors, wooden replicas of Swiss cheese, and hundreds of different tiles. After a couple hours and a bowl of cheese puffs, we had formulated some ideas. On each of the three floors would be a wall with a separate shade of blue and in large letters one of the words VISION, GROWTH, or AMP (our nickname for the Center – Aspirations Made Possible). We chose a red floored elevator with the possibility of black walls (I call this the scheming room). And we decided to theme each floor’s restrooms with different colored tiles. Teens will walk into the center, see the hip UFO chandelier, and know they are in a special place designed for a new era of leaders. Here is a sample of what we were thinking. The original image looks much more blue. What do you think? 
 On Thursday October 29th, the YMCA held its annual Celebration and Dinner at the renovated Shattuck Plaza Hotel – right next door to our offices. Many different people attended the dinner, including donors, Board members, members of the YMCA and other people in the community who are excited by the Y’s work. The purpose of the event is to recognize volunteers of the year for each branch and other people who have made a significant impact in the community. The Teen Center Task Force was lucky enough to be invited, but we also got to meet and greet people as they came in, directed them to the reception, and helped out throughout the night. We got a chance to talk with many of the guests about who we are and what we do on the Task Force, and to make them more aware about our project. The dinner was delicious, and the dessert was even better! But to top it off, there were many inspirational speakers such as Jonny Moseley, Dick Bolles and Debra Pryor. Altogether the night was a success and a lot of fun at that!
 Alright, check it out. On the 15th, I gave my final words to the Design Review Committee. We had been going back to DRC because there was a problem with our color choice - green. The members of the committee seemed to be dabbling with the shade of the green and why they didn’t like it, so this was my Hail Mary to persuade the dabblers. I was compelled to deliver this speech at the previous DRC meeting, because it was still a hot topic. However, I had to hold my tongue, as it probably wasn’t the appropriate time. This round was my chance. Our green is a color I feel very strongly about and I wanted to let everyone know that it was just more than a color to us. As I was talking, I hoped that I would be able to get through to the members on the committee, so I tried my best to put all the emotions I had going through me out towards them. Well now that you know what it’s all about, why don’t you see it for yourself? Enjoy!
 I love the YMCA! When I was little, my favorite part of summer was going to Y-Camp. Last year, I decided that I needed a job. So I automatically looked to the YMCA, the source of my childhood fun, as the place to work. I was going to apply for one of the desk jobs, until I heard about the Teen Center Task Force. While I do like greeting people and answering questions, the Teen Center Task Force sounded more like something I’d be interested in being part of. I like doing community service projects that directly impact people, and the Teen Center is a prime example of something that will do just that. Unfortunately, I was told that the Task Force was not able to hire another employee at that time. I was sad, but in the long run it gave me more time for school and other extracurriculars so it was probably a blessing in disguise. But almost six months later, Tracy called me into her office. I was confused at first, thinking that maybe I had left an old math book or something in her office, but was thrilled when she offered me the position as a Teen Center Task Force Member! So far, I have attended meetings, met with the Design Review Committee, and toured the future Teen Center. I’ve learned so much already from the importance of an aesthetically consistent building, to the dangers of asbestos. All of the people at the office are so nice, welcoming, and helpful! I’ve also had the chance to meet some of the amazing Brower Youth Award winners, whose environmental activism is truly inspiring! So far, I've had a lot of fun; I can't wait to see what comes next!
 I looked down at the striped tie flowing over my stylish blue cotton shirt. My gaze followed the tie all the way down to my wrists folded over my lap. I noticed that the white buttons of my wrist cuffs had come undone. While struggling to re-attach the two ends I found a grin beginning to crawl over my mouth. I smiled knowing that a group of high school students and their committed supervisor had just successfully given a presentation on engaging youth in community decision-making processes at UC Berkeley’s Education Summit. Tracy, Chris, Viviana and I had prepared for weeks and I know we were all glad to finally be finished. Our audience was a group of highly educated teachers, non-profit organizers and college students. We were lucky to have such an attentive and genuinely interested crowd. Several people even approached us at the end to further discuss the ideas we presented. My main focus had been teen’s challenges and advantages compared to adults. Chris discussed taking teens seriously and ways to help us to effectively use our abilities. Viviana gave an in-depth view on the Teen Center Project so far and also talked about being a teen involved in such a large scale project. Tracy detailed the role of adults who work with or supervise teen employees, and she made clear the idea that responsibility needs to be placed in the hands of teens. I am honestly proud that I work on a team that puts such a strong value on every voice. I am sure that my experiences on the Teen Center Task Force would not have been as enjoyable had it not be for this quality, and I know that without responsibility in my hands and respect from the team’s adults my work would not have been of use and this project would have been shaped in an entirely different manner. Click to see our presentation from the summit.
 Wow! After a couple months of waiting to be on the Teen Task Force, I’m finally on it. Even on the day our soccer team lost the game, I was filled with excitement because I found out I got the job. I was so nervous on my way to meet with my future boss Tracy because I really wanted to make a good impression. Here’s a little bit about myself. I attend California College Preparatory Academy, an Aspire Public School in association with UC Berkeley and tutor students at Berkeley Maynard Academy, and I’ve already taken five college courses, which I think really help me in preparing to become a successful student in college. I dream of attending USC or UCLA and want to either become a surgeon or lawyer who helps people with low incomes because I think it’s important to help people who need it but may not be able to afford it. At work and in life, I just really want to be there to help others overcome struggles they face. I believe that working on the YMCA Teen Center Task Force will build my communication skills and allow me to contribute to creating opportunities for other students to achieve their goals. After meeting with Tracy, I left knowing I was going to work on something I really wanted to be part of. I’m very excited about being on the team.
 A few Thursdays ago, we went to the Design Review Committee, yet again. Being the fourth time we’d been in front of the DRC, the Task Force was getting pretty used to the routine of these meetings. We all crossed our fingers and wished for the best before we went, hoping that we wouldn’t have to come back again. This time, we presented options for the green color on the front of the building (once again), and a few other exterior additions we’d made since the last meeting. Luckily, most of the decisions went over well with the board. Sadly, we have to go back to the DRC this Thursday to present our brand new shade of green for the building, plus a few adjustments we made from the last design review. This Thursday, one of our team members, Chris, is going to make a speech about why we chose the color green for the building, and why we would like to keep it green, seeing as the biggest dilemma so far, is the color choice. We are all hoping for the best at this next Design Review. Wish us luck!
 Once again, the pressure's on. We've been assigned to do a presentation at UC Berkeley for the Education Summit on October 11th. Our presentation is about how to actively engage youth in the decision making process. So far, Viviana, Ari, and I have been practicing and writing our own parts, but we've been pretty nervous. The presentation is going to last for about an hour and thirty minutes, so I hope that we'll stay within our time limit. Yes, I said within our time limit. We're pretty passionate about what we do, so naturally we have a lot of things to say...But, then we're going to have to memorize it. I think organizing our thoughts and making them concise is going to be the tough part. Well, we'll see how it goes, but I'm confident we'll nail it. Wish us luck!
 Last Saturday, Chris, Alex and I went to an Interact Club kickoff party for District 5160, which is the California Region of Rotary International. Essentially, Interact is the high school branch of Rotary. Judith Glass, this year’s President of the Berkeley Rotary club, has high hopes for creating a community based Interact club this year, and the teens are excited to begin program planning. Like other Rotary club events I’ve attended in the past, this kickoff party was full of great networking opportunities and camaraderie. It was great to meet other high school students who possessed a similar desire to change the world and be leaders in their community, just like the Teen Task Force is doing right now with our project. I learned that the work of the local Interact clubs stretches to the very far corners of the world. One popular project that many clubs participated in was the eyeglasses drive. The clubs collected used eyeglasses from community members, and shipped them to third world countries, where access to such basic necessities is limited. I really enjoyed learning about both the local and global focuses of Rotary International. As we go forward with trying to get our own club off the ground, we are looking forward to a strong partnership with Berkeley Rotary club. If everything goes well, we should have a club up and running before the Teen Center opens, so that we can launch a big service project once the Teen Center opens in November 2010!
 Recently, John, Antonia and I had a meeting with Raphael Maldanado. We met up with Raphael to learn and discuss what types of lighting there are and what types of lighting we should use for the building. I learned a lot about the difference between amps, watts, lumens, Calvin’s, and voltage, which I found to be quite interesting. After the learning segment, we then took Raphael on a tour of the Teen Center so he could give us more pointers. He explained the different types of lighting such as display, task and general lighting. I was awed. I had no idea there could be so much information! Towards the end of the tour, Raphael gave us an awesome suggestion- to build in mini mural areas with display lighting, where teens can create and change the mural every month. Of course, we would have these inside the walls of the Teen Center. I really hope we can implement this…hmm.
 In our Teen Center, we want to make sure we have lots of green education! What’s green education you ask? In our case, it is teaching you about all of the environmentally sustainable aspects of our building, and how we incorporated living and being green into our design. We are working with Laura Billings to help make the building more sustainable. As well as us learning about being green while working with Laura, we also want the future Teen Center users to learn about being green and how the building helps us do that. We’re currently brainstorming ideas to put into the Teen Center that are visual or interactive to teach people about how green we are, and what types of things helped to make the Teen Center green. We hope to teach the community how to be greener and in a fun visual way. If you have ideas on how to teach Teen Center users about sustainability, let us know!
 About 2 weeks ago, Tracy put Alex and me in charge of researching blinds and the price and quality that would be used in the future Teen Center. Our first place to research was in a shade shop in Berkeley. In order to go to the shop we had to take a bus, which we sat on forever to get to the shop, due to many stops. When arriving to the shop, we saw every type of blind that we could imagine. There were different types of materials, color and prices but the one that took our attention was the honeycomb shades with the top down/bottom up system. Based on what we liked and from other research that we did in the internet, we presented a powerpoint to the whole Teen Task Force including the prices and the details of each type of shades. After our presentation, we asked a few questions of our LEED Consultant, Laura Billings, because we are trying to have green and environmentally safe materials in our blinds in order to have better indoor air quality. Now we are going to order samples of blinds, discuss at our meeting about our options and make a final decision on which blinds are going to be in the Teen Center.
 A few weeks ago, we had our second LEED charette, which is a congregation of everyone working on the project to discuss where we are on our LEED points, and what we can do to achieve more points. We are still well on track for LEED Gold, which is a priority of our project. The charette lasted from 1 p.m. to a little over 5 o’clock! It was tiring for me, as I’ve never been in a meeting that long before, but it was interesting. There was a lot of language and abbreviations used that I didn’t really understand, yet it was a good informational experience. It was good to know where we were at, how much progress we were making, and what some of the next steps were. One of the big items that we talked about was a possibility to make a switch to the new LEED 3.0 rating system. We weighed the pluses and minuses and came to the conclusion that we should wait for a while, until after we do the adequate research. We also talked about how we can design the building to be modified for the future, which I felt was really important. All in all, there was a lot of good discussion and I think we made very good progress in planning the building.
 Last week, the Task Force participated in a gathering hosted by Berkeley Alliance in the pre-constructed Teen Center to discuss the 2020 Vision. Various members from the education community in Berkeley congregated to discuss a very important issue – the academic achievement gap between races, what’s causing it, and how to solve it. This meeting was created to get the teen voice out, and teens from across the city participated. Every teen was allowed to say what they thought about the situation. Some of the comments were: one of the reasons why there was a wide gap between the successes of students from different races is because their parents, teachers and the community don’t give them enough support or because the students don’t think that school is the most important thing. The thoughts of the teens were written down on a large piece of paper so everyone could follow along. At the end of the meeting we all realized how much information we had given and what could be some of the solutions. The reason why I had so eagerly volunteered to attend the meeting is because of my perspectives on the education system. There are students, like me and others on the Task Force, who can’t work to their full potential in traditional classes. I’d like to see a change where students can learn about the same thing in different styles. Now the Teen Task Force is working together with Berkeley Alliance in order to change that large gap. We are following their steps and willing to contribute our thoughts to each of their meetings. Find out more about the Berkeley Alliance and the 2020 Vision at: www.berkeleyalliance.org
 From the Nicaraguan campo and back to the Teen Task Force desk, here I am, one week out from an amazing summer spent working on collaborative community development projects in Latin America. I said a brief farewell to the Teen Task Force in May, graduated from high school, and then took off for a two month adventure in Granada, Nicaragua. I went there with an international community service program called Amigos de las Americas, whose mission is to promote youth leadership and multicultural understanding through service. I spent eight weeks living with a host family in a rural town in Nicaragua and working with two other Americans to teach classes on health topics such as dental hygiene, environmental health, and nutrition to first through sixth graders. When we weren’t busy teaching, you could find us working on an extensive community mapping project. By the end of the summer, we had identified all health risks of the 180 families living in the town and put them on a map for the doctor and nurses to reference when making house calls. The highlight of our project was facilitating a community-based initiative to build a bus stop by the town entrance. Thanks to the financial support of Amigos, and the tireless involvement of community members, El Menco now has a bus stop, just in time for the hardest summer rains. After eating piles of rice and beans for eight weeks straight, waking up at 6 AM to the sound of crowing roosters, and getting caught in a few too many downpours on the way to teaching a class, here I am back in the air conditioned Association office ready to research lighting possibilities for the Teen Center. At the end of September, I’m headed to the University of Oregon, where I plan on double majoring in Urban Planning and International Relations. Off to the next adventure!
 The Teen Center has gotten some good press lately. Just the fact that we have been in so many newspapers is wonderful. But to also have nothing but positive things said about us and the Teen Center, to me, is a blessing and it also shows that people from young to old are ready to see Berkeley have a center that’s truly for teens. So even for the ones that dislike teens, they will love the Teen Center for the simple fact that this will take more teens off the street corner, out of stores, etc, and put them in a place where they can have fun and also learn things that some homes and schools aren’t able to give them at the time or never could give them. So I thank freelance writer Doug Oakley and Riya Bhattacharjee of the Berkeley Daily Planet and every other newspaper that had/has something to do with getting the word out about how Berkeley will now and will always be teen friendly… Check out recent articles: The Berkeley Daily PlanetBerkeley Voice
 Summer is really tough. You know, showing up to 2:00 PM meetings only a couple hours after you’ve woken up. Ouch. It makes it a little hard to focus when you‘re still trying to analyze your crazy dream. But in all seriousness, last Monday’s OAC (Owner, Architect, Contractor) meeting was actually quite interesting. It was the first of many OAC meetings to come, and funny enough, the architects couldn’t make it and the contractor was excluded from the first half of the meeting. It went well regardless. The meeting was significant because our newest team member Suzanne Brown of Equity Community Builders came and was finally put to work, and a fine job she did. Since it was the first meeting there was a lot to cover. By ‘a lot’ I mean a lot of budgeting and scheduling. The meeting commenced immediately into a long, fast-paced, and meticulous discussion about the exact costs of the project. We marked down which items had already been paid and we explored ways to reduce the price of those not paid for. Following this discussion we brought our contractor Jim Coyle into the room and we began talking schedule. The main points were centered around getting the final construction documents and drawings to the city review board a.s.a.p. to begin demolition and construction a.s.a.p. or at least by December. It seemed that the big acronym of the day was GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price). This is a bid that we need from our contractor to submit to the bank so we can obtain the much needed New Market Tax Credits, a giant government grant. With our sights set high but our time and money on the edge, we pushed through the pressing issues and set a plan to move forward. Forward to the second OAC meeting that is. Equity Community Builders is committed to responsible development and management of property that contributes to the strength and vitality of neighborhoods and communities throughout Northern California. Check them out here.
 To be interviewed I always…well not always… get nervous. When I get nervous I drag my words. My mouth gets real dry to where I’m dying for water. I get lost every few seconds. But interviewing someone is way better then getting interviewed. The only thing I have to worry about is how to ask the questions, as in how to word what’s already written on paper. Other than that I learned that you try to notice different things – things like if the person gets nervous or how well they answer the questions or if they’re dressed right for the occasion. But when I zone out – which is something that I’m not suppose to do – I think about what I did wrong in my interviews and what I should do differently the next time I’m getting interviewed. So if you were to ask me which side of the table I’ll rather be on. I think that I’ll say hands down I’d like to be on the ‘giving the interview’ side. That’s way more fun. So in the future I’ll take that side.
 What's that? He's really back! I guess I just couldn't stay away. The power of the Teen Center has once again called to me, and I have returned. With summer approaching, I began to rekindle enthusiasm for this fantastic project. With the end of school came a freer schedule and fewer other commitments. I could think of no better way to spend my time than to continue my work with the Task Force. Now four and a half months being gone wasn't that long. After all, I was part of the team for over a year. I think that I'll get the hang of it again pretty quickly. I feel that I can greatly contribute to the talented new team that I've heard so much about. I look forward to a hardworking, fun, and productive summer. Everyone keeps telling me that I am coming back at just the right time, and that it should be very interesting. I hope to capitalize on this situation and help to keep the project running strong. Progress is a meal, and I am hungry.
 The process of hiring a contractor was more challenging than we expected. There were a lot of good firms who wanted to build our future teen center but there was only room for one. We had to recommend a firm to the YMCA Board of Directors. We went through long discussions about what we liked about each firm and every time we voted we heard from everyone that “we couldn’t go wrong with either of the final two firms”. In the Teen Task Force meetings there were important facts mentioned: how they seemed very excited about the project and working with us, their experience working with similar projects, their proposed fees, etc. After discussing for hours and hours, we came to the conclusion that two of the Teen Task Force members should present our recommendation to the Board. After the presentation the Board decided that they should interview each of the final two firms because they wanted to know them both better. After the Board and the two firms met, Pankow was selected as the best fit for the project. This experienced has helped us a lot. It showed us how we have to pick between two really good firms and that we need to communicate to everyone involved in the decision about everything we do in the process of hiring new firms. Pankow Special Projects is a pioneer in using new construction methods and working on ‘green’ projects. More information on Pankow Special Projects can be found here.
 In late June we went to the City of Berkeley Design Review meeting. Design Review is basically where a committee looks over the building’s designs and either approves or does not approve of them. Chris and I were asked to talk for a few minutes before our design was shown in order to prep the committee about why we were there that day. Chris and I wrote our lines a couple days before and boy was I nervous! I had never spoken in front of a board like this before, and I didn’t know what to expect. I practiced numerous times, over and over again. Finally the day came and I was so nervous I could hardly stand! Chris and I practiced a few more times and I finally got it down. We presented about half an hour after the meeting started. Our presentation only lasted about a minute, but I was so glad for it to be over! It turned out to be easy as pie, and I was no longer worried. So we sat down and continued to listen to the conversation. In the end, the committee approved us to move onto the Zoning Adjustments Board and then come back to them for another preliminary review next month. A Subcommittee of the City of Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board, the Design Review Committee is charged with the review and approval of design proposals for projects in non-residential districts. More information including meeting agendas and minutes for the Design Review Committee can be found here.
 Working for the Teen Task Force so far has been an amazing experience. The opportunity came about when my principal suggested that this job would suit my personality and felt I had a place here. After he explained to me the type of setting it was and all the doors that it would open for me, I was instantly interested. I think it’s great to be able to use my uniqueness and creativity to contribute to a project that will benefit my peers and me in the future. I enjoy every aspect of it, especially knowing that my opinion matters. John is the first Teen Center Task Force member from B-Tech – Berkeley Technology Academy. Just what is B-Tech? Find out more about B-Tech here.
 When I first heard about the YMCA Teen Task Force, I thought it was such a neat concept - how teens got to contribute their ideas and opinions on the Teen Center. I immediately wanted to be a part of this project, or at least apply to be part of it. So I got an application and filled it out! I waited for a few days, which seemed like years, to hear back from somebody, and soon I did! Antonia called me to do a phone screening, which is basically a phone interview. I was so nervous, but Antonia totally made me feel comfortable, which helped with the whole process. Then, a few days later I received yet another call from a member of the Teen Task Force saying that Tracy wanted to meet with me for a one-on-one meeting. I was so excited that I was called back, but nervous as well! What was she going to ask me? Was I going to know all the answers to her questions? My mind was racing with various thoughts about this interview. The day of the interview approached, and I was as nervous as ever! Finally, the day came, and the interview I had been worried about quickly passed. I was so anxious to hear back from them I could hardly sit still all week. Then I received a phone call saying that they wanted me to come back for a third and final interview! Whew! I was already getting used to this interview thing, so I figured I shouldn’t worry about this one and just do my best. For my third and final interview, Chris, Viviana, and Maria put me on the hot seat by asking questions about why I wanted to be on the Teen Task Force or what I could bring to the group. A few days later I was asked to join the team! It feels good to be part of this team and I'm looking forward to be up and running in no time!
 Adults being surrounded by a bunch of teenagers, eager to ask them questions. What a concept. Adults being surrounded by a bunch of teenagers, eager to interview them for a job! Now that’s an idea no one could even fathom. But that’s exactly what happened because the Task Force is in the process of identifying a general contractor to build the Teen Center. The Task Force recently interviewed our first of three general contractor candidates and we are hoping to have made our recommendation to the YMCA Board by the end of the month. All three firms we interviewed were very well prepared but only two were highly energetic and engaging. It also seemed like one candidate tried to avoid our questions by not answering them directly. The experience of interviewing adults for a job was quite refreshing. I really got a different perspective on what its like on the other end, and how I can better prepare for an interview in the future. It was definitely a great learning experience, and I took a lot from it. I hope to improve myself as an interviewee for the future and learn something from all of this. Be sure to check back for announcement on the selection of a contractor!
 People say every good thing must come to an end, and in our case the journey of the Teen Center Task Force is coming to an end for some but not for a bad reason. Some of us are starting new chapters in our lives and are going off to college. We’ve lost some people already along the way but with new blood coming onto the project we’re still going strong. There’s going to be a big hole left with the original members gone after the summer and some are leaving sooner. Me? I’m not really going anywhere (lolz) just yet. I’m sad that’s it’s going to be just me and one other who started from the beginning, but I am looking forward to getting to know the new people and continuing on with this project.
 For those of you that do not know yet, the Berkeley-Albany YMCA has created a program known as Y-Scholars. This program is designed to help first-generation college-bound high school students learn how they can receive a college education. Y-Scholars provides students with after-school tutoring, weekly support group meetings and one-on-one counseling. It all sounds great right? I know it does, I’m in the program. Y-Scholars has not only helped me to stay on top of my academics, but it has helped me find ways to give back to my community. Y-Scholars is limited in the number of students it can serve. The YMCA only has so much space to provide to the program. The YMCA is building the Teen Center in downtown Berkeley so Y-Scholars can open its doors to more students. Y-Scholars is one of the programs focused on ‘academic achievement’ that will be housed in the new Teen Center. Teen need programs that will help them navigate high school and get in to college and these kinds of programs will be key at the new Teen Center. As a high school Senior ready to embark on the road of a College education I can say that because of Y-Scholars this transition could not have gone any smoother. Want more information on Y-Scholars? Click Here to learn more.
 Up to this point, we’ve spent a lot of time updating you on the project and other Task Force happenings. However, it dawned on me a few days ago that we haven’t written any posts on what types of programs will actually be IN the Teen Center once it finally opens. Essentially, the primary programs offered at the Teen Center will fit into one of three categories: Service Learning and Leadership, Youth Employment, or Academic Achievement. I’m here to tell you about the first one. We are working on developing a collaborative partnership with Rotary and other local agencies and organizations to offer service learning opportunities through the Teen Center. One possible example of this would be taking a group of teens to the local shoreline to do an environmental cleanup. The YMCA’s Youth and Government Program is an example of a teen leadership program.that will be offered at the Teen Center. In terms of other teen leadership offerings, we are looking into creating a task force-like advisory council once the Teen Center opens to continue the work that we’ve already started. Just what is ‘service learnng’ anyway? Check this out for more information. What is the Youth and Government Program all about? Check out this link for more information.
 Meeting Harold Davis was like… having a talk with a wise man who has an answer for everything. Like the karate teacher who uses metaphors to teach you everything you’ll come to know. Harold Davis is the man who was instrumental in getting PG&E to listen to us about partnering with the YMCA to build a teen center. And – he was successful. Working alongside YMCA’s for most of your life helps you gain connections with all kinds of people. We are so thankful to Harold for that. My favorite thing that he said was “luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” Because he was attentive and caring he was cool. I enjoyed meeting him. He was humorous and I love that. He inspired our group that day. Just who is Harold Davis? Find out here.
 Three days after I had dropped off my application for the YMCA Teen Task Force, I received a call from an unknown number. Taken aback but curious, I nervously picked up the phone. “Hello?” “Hi, this is Maria calling from the Berkeley-Albany YMCA. Is this Chris there?” Confused and having a momentary brain fart, I could only stutter a meager reply. “Uhh. Ye-Yes, this is he.” Maria then proceeds with a phone screening and by the end, I still was a bit confused by what had just happened. Not to say that I wasn’t attentive, but it was a lot like that for the rest of the interviewing process. Was I seriously about to be hired? Sure enough…no. At least not yet. I was to come in for a second interview. Oh the irony! Kevin, Viviana, and Dasha were my interviewers and as nervous as I was, I chose to sit in the hot seat. As they questioned me, I questioned myself if I was even doing this right. Well all I could do was just hope for the best and that my answers were adequate. Once again, I received another call from a more or less, now familiar number. I was informed to come in for a third a final interview with Tracy in a more professional manner and to write a formal résumé. I’ve never written a résumé before so I tried my best to crank one out with my extremely limited experience. On top of feeling unprepared as I felt I was, the BART train came early and I missed my train. Oh boy… They’re never going to hire me now. As my somewhat concise interview with Tracy ended, I had never felt more pessimistic toward anything. I knew they weren’t going to hire me. But sure enough, here I am writing this blog, more than happy to say that I am a new member of the Teen Task Force.
 With three members gone to pursue other endeavors, the Task Force knew it was time to bring on new people. And, this was no hastily calculated move on the part of the group either. With three more seniors likely graduating from the Task Force this Spring, we wanted to gradually phase in the “new blood,” so that the Task Force could continue to be just as successful even after the first generation of members moved on to other things. The hiring process could best be described as thorough and sometimes tedious, since we were trying to compose a group where the new members would bring a similar energetic dynamic and a range of life experiences and skill sets to everything we do. The first step was to carefully read all 31 applications we received. To build the applicant pool we contacted local community organizations that work with youth, and administrators at each of the area high schools, including Berkeley High, B-Tech Academy, Maybeck, and St. Mary’s. To give everyone a fair shot, we phone screened all applicants. In this initial round of interviews, we asked all the students about how they heard about the Task Force, why they wanted to join, and what they would bring to the group. I was blown away by how much one can learn about a person just by looking at the depth of the answers they do or don’t give you in an interview. After this round of phone screens, we were able to confer notes with one another and quickly begin whittling down the list. Next, it was time to do personal interviews with each of the students who moved on from the phone screen. In retrospect, we actually completed this process relatively quickly since this part took just two days to interview all the applicants. There were three Task Force members in each interview, and I feel like this is where the strength of our group dynamic got to shine. Each of us got to take turns asking different types of questions as we tried to really discover what this person would bring to the group. The hard work was really in the deliberations, where we all ran back to the conference room and spent about fifteen minutes debriefing each candidate, before our next interviewee arrived. With our opinions in mind, Tracy helped us to decide whom to bring for a third and final round of interviews, which she conducted individually. The Task Force is proud to announce the addition of Chris Wang from St. Mary’s and Carmel Dunlap from Berkeley High to the Task Force. We’re excited to have them on the team! Watch for introductory blog posts coming from Chris and Carmel in the coming weeks. Curious to see the actual application that candidates had to fill out in order to even be considered for a phone screen and interview? Check it out here.
 Why am I on the Task Force? Well it all began when I started looking for an internship back in my senior year of High School. In the small school of Berkeley High that I was attending, seniors were required to have an internship and do a certain amount of community service hours. My previous internship, conducting surveys on the needs of youth would flow perfectly into the work of the YMCA Teen Task Force. I joined the Task Force, after a long round of interviews and hard work. I was interested in the process of creating a building let alone a Teen Center right here in Berkeley to serve my peers. I’ve been on the Task Force for a little over a year now, and I can say the work is challenging. I’ve met so many people and it has boosted several of my skills and actually gave me new ones. I don’t think before this I could conduct a budget spreadsheet, document invoices, and give a great presentation. Plus now I am surrounded by friendly people and we have lots of fun. When I entered the Task Force my goal was to become a mechanical engineer. It’s still my interest but I found an even better opportunity. I started an EMT (emergency medical technician) training program at Fast Response School for Health Care Education which was recommend by my supervisor Tracy. Of course I will still continue my work here at Y, because I have a lot of love for what I do here. What’s an EMT? Check out Fast Response School for Health Care Education for more information.
 Not many people know this but the Teen Task Force is being watched. Actually we’re being filmed. The YMCA is making a documentary on the Teen Task Force and our work to create the new YMCA Teen Center. Andres, the camera guy, has been the best filmer I can think of. He has been with us since day one, when we went on our retreat in San Francisco. He was there when we read and discussed the first RFP’s. Through the jokes and serious conversations that big lens has been capturing every movement of the Teen Task Force. At first it was a bit nerve racking to have someone filming you all the time, having the camera up close and in your face. Everyone tried to hide and let the camera pass without capturing them at an awkward moment. I must admit I was self-conscious about not slipping up and saying something that I might regret later, but as time passed I rarely notice the filming. We have all become used to that big black metallic lens in our faces. Some of us have actually become too used to the camera. We recently saw a preview of the documentary – a five minute trailer. I was excited to see our fears projected on the wall of our meeting space. I guess one thing that shocked me the most was the skepticism of some of those filmed. Well I am not letting that bother me, watching the trailer has only motivated me more to work towards completing this project successfully. Unfortunately we’re not ready to reveal the trailer publicly yet. Check back here in the coming weeks for information on the premiere!
 I joined the Teen Task Force because it combined all the things I am passionate about: youth leadership, doing community outreach, and working as a catalyst for social change. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been involved with the task force for a year already! Over the course of this year, I’ve grown in my leadership skills by making community presentations about the project, and learned many new skills that will be transferable to my later professional life. I’ve learned about the importance of meeting deadlines and collaborating on assignments. Perhaps the most significant thing I’ve realized about why I joined the task force is how this work has impacted my future career goals. Before I joined the task force, I intended to pursue a journalism major in college. However, being a part of this unique opportunity has allowed me to discover a new career path: urban planning. An urban planner does the same type of work that the task force is currently engaged in, which appeals to all my strengths. Now, I’ve decided to pursue an urban studies major as an undergrad. In addition to enhancing my leadership skills and discovering a new career path, I now understand how much of an impact this project will have on the generation to come. As I reflect on the work of the last year, I can only look forward to the exciting progress we make on this project in 2009.
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