10/28/09: Green

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!

10/21/09: Meet Zoe

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!

10/19/09: Trusting Teens

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.

10/16/09: Introductions

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.

10/14/09: Color Conflicts

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!

10/08/09: Put Your Game Face On

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!