YMCA Teen Task Force

8/30/10: Saying Goodbye

2010-09-30T08:30:00.001-07:00

After ten months with the Teen Task Force, Zoe Tamaki is retiring to start the next phase of her life at UC Berkeley. Here is her farewell letter to her peers, the Teen Center, and you.

It’s been almost a year since I joined the Teen Task Force.

The past year has probably been one of the most fulfilling and exciting ones of my life. (There are 18 to choose from so that’s pretty good!) Working at the Y, I’ve learned everything from the dangers of asbestos to the importance of professionalism. I’ve seen that colds and enthusiasm are equally contagious. I now know what a lien on a building is and how to file invoices. If I ever need to input a hundred surveys into an excel document again, I know I can do it in two hours. I’ve gained confidence talking to people about who I am and what I believe in.

The most important thing I’ve learned while being on the Teen Task Force has been the importance of having passion for what you do. Prior to working on the Teen Task Force, I wanted to be a Biology major who was pre-med. I then saw myself going into medical school, following the path of Sandra Oh (from Grey’s Anatomy), and finally becoming a doctor. But after working at the Y and seeing how excited everyone was when talking about the Teen Center, I realized that learning about X and Y chromosomes did not give me the same euphoric feeling that they had. I’m not saying that I don’t want to be a doctor anymore, but now I’m also considering a career working with teens.

I love the Y. The past year has been an incredible experience and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with a group of such amazing people.

Zoe was a founding member of the Teen Task Force whose enthusiasm and dedication distinguished her as a leader among her peers. She will be missed at the Teen Center, but we wish her the best as she enters the next phase of her life as a Cal Bear.

Encourage Berkeley teens you know to make a difference, like Zoe. The Teen Center is currently accepting applications to the Teen Task Force! Interested applicants should contact Tairinda Rushing, Leadership Manager of the Teen Center, at trushing@bayma.org for more information.

05/28/10: Ready for my Closeup

2010-05-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Being in the photo shoot for the Teen Center was so much fun. It was just like being an America’s Next Top Model Finalist! It was also cool being there for the first time since the roof was taken off because we were finally able to see the sunlight inside the Teen Center. We had to take so many pictures in different poses - all of us felt like models. At one point, the photographer had all of us walk across a small plank bridge, and it felt like we were walking down a runaway. We also had to go under parts that looked so dangerous that we were like, “are you sure you want us down there?” Seeing the photographer hang from one of the CAT machines looked so unsafe, but it was funny trying to watch him balance and take pictures as well. Overall, this was a good experience that I will never forget, even though I didn’t get my hair and make-up done!

05/26/10: LEEDing by Example

2010-05-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Laura, our LEED consultant, has been incredibly helpful and wonderful throughout the whole Green Education project that Jose, Alex and I are working on. At our last meeting some weeks ago, we went through many ideas about how we could best educate teens in the Teen Center on being green. We brainstormed ideas such as interesting looking recycle bins, fun eco-facts displayed in places throughout the building, a huge television screen to show just how much energy the Teen Center is saving (my personal favorite), and finally a projection onto the wall to show nature at its finest next to the effects of global warming.

It was after discussing all these awesome ideas that I realized it's not fair for Jose, Alex, Laura and I to have all this imaginative power to ourselves. We need to share these ideas with the world and open the discussion so other teens can contribute their ideas. Therefore, if you have any ideas or suggestions on how we can teach each others how to be green, realistic or not, we would love to hear them. We want to make this Teen Center innovative and a collaborative effort...so if you have any ideas let us know!

Find out more about Laura Billings, our LEED consultant, and Sage Green Development by clicking here.

05/24/10: Nate Dahl - Man with a Green Plan

2010-05-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

One of the most crucial, fascinating and progressive aspects of the Teen Center project has to be our commitment to sustainability and eco-friendliness. From day one we knew that being "green" would be an essential part in creating our perfect Teen Center. That is why we hired consultant Laura Billings to advise us on how to be environmentally friendly and obtain the famed LEED Gold Certification for our building. We have been planning the implementation of solar panels, recycled/able materials, low energy systems and many other physical parts of our building. Yet a huge part of going green has also been our plan to have a green education program and set our building up as a green model for other Teen Centers and new projects. This is where Nate Dahl comes in. While Nate's involvement with our project began through his position in the city planning offices, where he aided us in the permit process, he came to us this Monday as a speaker and visionary for the "green" teen center movement. As a project for his graduate studies in sustainability Nate chose to research our Teen Center project and discuss greening teen centers throughout the nation.
After he told us to imagine ourselves as members of the board of YMCA of the USA, Nate proceeded to give a very professional and creative presentation on starting up "green" teen centers. The presentation brought up ideas of: what buildings to turn into teen centers, what cities are good starting points for the movement, and how to gain funding and the public's good favor. The primary message was that green teen centers function as portals towards a brighter future. Not only can they help retain our planet's natural beauty and resources and maintain strong economies, but they teach our future leaders, the teens, values of sustainability and good citizenship. In turn, this can produce a cycle of a growing commitment to the good of society and our world.
Truly, Nate is the man. I look forward to seeing Nate and these ideas on the big stage where national change may become a reality.

05/21/10: Meet our Contractor

2010-05-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

When I first met our contractors, I thought that their job was pretty simple. But now that I have attended several job-walks with Alex, our general contractor from Pankow, I’ve realized just how complicated his job really is. At the job walks Alex took us around the building and talked about what he does. Renovating a building, looking at floor plans, and making sure that everything goes the according to plan is complicated. It’s clear that Alex is passionate about working on our Teen Center, and I'm glad that the building construction is in good hands. I love seeing people who enjoy their job and who are honest too. It’s important that the firm that we work with cares about the project as much as we do and shows real progress. Alex shared with us that if you like what you are doing in your job or career, then it makes your job easy. I hope that in my future I will end up working in a place where I feel comfortable, enjoy my time, and always want to do my best. We’re sure that our Teen Center is being built by the right people.

Find out more about Charles Pankow Builders and Pankow Special Projects by clicking here

03/03/10: Spreading the Word

2010-03-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Recently the Task Force was separated into pairs and sent to take turns at the Downtown Berkeley YMCA to promote the Teen Center Project. Our goal was to get people to go online and vote for the Teen Center Project – one of 189 projects up for a $250,000 grant from Pepsi as part of their Refresh Campaign for the month of February.

In addition to handing out flyers we tried different methods to spread the word. A couple of ways included giving out flyers at other YMCA branches, putting them up at the cafes in Downtown Berkeley, emailing people that we know, putting links up on Facebook and by other people blogging about us on the internet.

This project has also given us an opportunity to meet more people and to give them information about what’s going to be available in the future for their kids at the Center. The whole Teen Task Force is excited about winning and very happy to see that we are working hard together to make our dreams come true.

I enjoy telling people about the project while at the YMCA, even though we were ignored once in a while. Every time someone stopped to talk to us, they seemed interested in our work and were willing to help us win money for the future Teen Center. It’s great to hear people saying “yeah we are voting”, “I received your emails”, and “I will vote”.

Click here to see the Teen Center Project proposal on the Pepsi Refresh Project site.

03/01/10: High Goals

2010-03-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

20/20 vision in optometry means that you have perfect vision.

The City of Berkeley is striving to improve their "vision" for youth. The 2020 Vision Project is an effort to address Berkeley's equity gap and create a healthier generation by the year 2020. Not only does Berkeley hope to have a vivid future for their youth but they hope to do so within the next 10 years. It's an ambitious goal.

I went to my first 2020 Vision meeting a few weeks ago. A diverse group of teens, a handful of adults, and the project leaders were eager to start the education and lifestyle revolution that Berkeley needs. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the amount that they wanted to accomplish. It seemed like so much to do in so little time. We began by translating the goals of the 2020 Vision Project into "teen friendly language." This was something my group struggled with because it dealt with changing some of the ways education in Berkeley worked and there were lots of big words.

After reflecting on my 2020 Vision experience, I think the goals are realistic. I’ve learned there is a difference between a vision and a goal. A vision is something you hope for. It’s not necessarily something you'll get the first time, the second time, or even the 100th time, but rather it's something that you strive for. It's almost like striving for perfection, which is sometimes regarded as a bad thing in sports, but working on the 2020 Vision Project made me realize that when it comes to potentially enriching the lives of others and making truly everlasting change you might as well set the goal high so everyone reaps the benefits. It reminds me of how Kanye West says, "You might as well reach for the stars so that you fall on the clouds."

Click here for more information on Berkeley’s 2020 Vision for Children and Youth.

01/21/10: Our First Walk Through!

2010-01-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

On Monday January 11, Pankow, our contractors, took the Teen Task Force on a tour of the pre-construction building. The previous week, Sterling Environmental, one of our demolition contractors, removed all of the drywall, ceiling and floor tiles, and basically everything else that had made up the interior of the old PG&E payment Center.

When I first walked in, I noticed that there were no longer and walls or doors, it was just one big empty room. The tiles were gone, the walls were just cement, and there were huge holes in the ceilings! The room seemed very empty, and pretty large. We even were lucky enough to climb a ladder to the second floor (the stairs have been removed) and look around. On the 2nd floor, there were a bunch of holes in the ceilings and very few walls. Overall, the experience was really neat to be able to see the building in its demolition phases. I can’t wait to see what it looks like at the next walk through!

01/19/10: It may sound cliché

2010-01-19T16:30:00.000-08:00

Change. It may sound cliché, but what we need now is change. Change to create a just and equal society. Change in our Berkeley schools. On Thursday afternoon the team crammed into Tracy's car and ventured over to the Young Adult Project building on Oregon Street. We arrived to meet a diverse group of youth from various Berkeley groups, including Youth Together, BYA and Jewish Youth for Community Action for a 2020 Vision meeting. The meeting was meant for Berkeley teens to provide input and suggestions on the draft vision plan made by the 2020 Vision's adult committee.

We began by listening to a series of inspirational speeches and stories on the need for change. Then, the group leader from BYA pointed out an important truth. Even though everyone in the room was there to close the achievement gap and integrate classes, we were still separated by race in where we had chosen to sit. This important picture just proves the need for change in Berkeley. By targeting components of Berkeley that affect the lives of students we are taking steps to: provide everyone with the opportunity to thrive, instill the motivation to progress, create healthy living environments, and prepare young children to enter elementary school ready to learn.

Eventually we split up into well diversified groups and entered into a deep discussion on how to reform these core causes of the racial achievement gap. We plan to meet next week to present our thoughts and further our discussions. I know, for me, the driving force through this whole process is the hope that I may one day return to Berkeley High and see a racially blended school yard, rather than a concrete slab blotted with different colors in different corners, separated by the walls of racism, paranoia, and hopelessness.

To read more about the 2020 Vision for Berkeley's Children & Youth, click here.

1/8/10: Kinda Like the Justice League

2010-01-08T09:31:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, the first YMCA-PG&E Teen Center board convened. A core group of members (including me!) with a mission. We've set out on an early start to oversee the growth of the board, finances, and program development to benefit the Center. Meeting everyone was great. But meeting unfamiliar faces was even better because it's pretty cool to get to work with people who've just learned about the project but are just as excited about it as me. The first meeting was just introductory, so we haven't officially started anything intense yet, but don't be disappointed, because we will!

Now that I’m also a board member, I feel that I have an even bigger responsibility because I have a dual role: a board member and liaison between the Teen Center Task Force and the board. However, I do not feel that this responsibility extends only towards my two positions but also to the community. As Peter Parker’s (Spider-Man) uncle Ben once said, “Remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.” It'll be great to stick around on the board and see how the Teen Center develops after the Task Force is done with construction. I'm sure we'll be pioneering the Teen Center to new heights.

12/15/09: Finally!

2009-12-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

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!

11/23/09: Feeling Welcomed

2009-11-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

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!

11/21/09: Budget Blues

2009-11-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

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!

11/19/09: A Colorful World

2009-11-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

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?

11/13/09: YMCA Annual Celebration

2009-11-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

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!

10/28/09: Green

2009-10-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-14T11:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

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!

09/10/09: Interacting with Rotary

2009-09-10T12:39:00.001-07:00

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!

09/04/09: Shock and Awe

2009-09-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

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.

09/03/09: Green Education!

2009-09-03T09:25:00.001-07:00

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!

09/01/09: The Girls Go Shopping...for Blinds

2009-09-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

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.

08/28/09: Going Gold

2009-08-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

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.

08/17/09: Speaking Out for Education

2009-08-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

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

08/13/09: Where in the World is Antonia?

2009-08-13T16:00:00.001-07:00

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!

08/11/09: In the News

2009-08-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

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 Planet
Berkeley Voice

08/05/09: Bringing Everyone Together

2009-08-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

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.

08/03/09: The Other Side of the Table

2009-08-03T09:18:00.001-07:00

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.

07/30/09: Back for More

2009-07-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

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.

07/28/09: Hiring a Contractor

2009-07-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

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.

07/02/09: Easy as Pie

2009-07-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

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.

07/01/09: My Opinion Matters

2009-07-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

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.

05/22/09: I could hardly sit still all week!

2009-05-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

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!

05/21/09: Interviewing building contractors

2009-05-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

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!

05/18/09: Starting new chapters in our lives

2009-05-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

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.

04/22/09: What’s inside the Teen Center – Part 2

2009-04-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

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.

04/20/09: What’s inside the Teen Center – Part 1

2009-04-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

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.

03/18/09: Meeting Harold Davis

2009-03-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

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.

03/12/09: Yeah…But Why Me?

2009-03-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

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.

03/09/09: I was blown away by how much one can learn about a person

2009-03-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

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.

03/03/09: A lot of love for what I do!

2009-03-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

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.

03/02/09: Up close and in your face!

2009-03-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

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!

01/13/09: Discovering a New Career Path

2009-01-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

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.

12/23/08: We’re hiring! Teen Task Force members that is!

2008-12-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

“We are hiring new members” said Tracy. My first reaction was WHAT! We are getting fired? But she later explained that we needed more people to replace the Task Force members who are leaving the project due to their plans after high school.

Then Task Force members were grouped in groups of 2, each in charge of updating the job application, a flyer, and the interview questions. At the next meeting we started discussing how the interviewing process was going to work. Each one of us is in charge of interviewing the teens in an assigned interview. It could be a phone, group or final in-person interview. We decided this because by following this process every Task Force member would have met the finalists.

This really excites me because we are going to meet new teens and also because it gives us an opportunity to demonstrate how much we have learned throughout the year. We will get to teach the new members what we’ve learned.

What are we looking for in new Task Force members? We are looking for excited teens to work on the project as best as they can, for them to adapt easily to the responsibility of working on a changing project, to give whatever they can to the Task Force, and most importantly to help us on a project to make a lot of people’s dream come true.

Interested in joining us on the Teen Center Task Force? Click here to see what it takes and to access the application.

12/17/08: 'Legacy' Echoed in My Head

2008-12-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

It all started on an average day in sophomore year. So there I was, half-daydreaming through my third period English class. Suddenly out of the abyss of classroom chatter I heard Ms. Jones describing something along the lines of: “Fun…paid job…YMCA…Teen Center…great opportunity.” This was it - this would be the change of pace I had been looking for for over two years.

I realize now that joining the Teen Center Task Force was a very special
and significant decision for me. I realized this during one of our first meetings.
I still remember the sweat seeping out of my pores as I struggled to stay attentive in that stuffy inferno of a meeting room. Again, I sat there half-daydreaming, still unsure if I had made the right decision about joining the team. Our conversation was just beginning to touch on all the things we would soon learn about completing a project of this scale. This was the first sign of things to come like: lots and lots of fundraising, planning, hiring architects and consultants, writing formal reports and requests, budgeting, public networking, and the oh so holy paycheck. Soon one of our most intelligent and entertaining adult volunteers, Tom Ratcliff, began to talk about what a Teen Center will do for Berkeley and all the great changes that will be brought about. This got me thinking – I am going to leave a legacy in my home town. Just that word – ‘legacy’ – echoed in my head. I was inspired. With a flash of the future before my eyes and a rush of determination I started on my path to change the world.

As I look back on joining the Teen Center Task Force it’s been a very interesting, fun, scary, and confusing experience. I know that pretty much sums up life. Really though, I basically applied for this position with an enthusiasm that can only be described as naïve. I didn’t know what I was actually getting into. Unknowingly I was about to go on one of the most inspirational rides of my life.

And boy, looking back now I know that this change of pace at the YMCA has forever changed my life.

12/16/08: Joerg - A Normal Guy

2008-12-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

As many of you may know, Bayer HealthCare – the major manufacturer of products that improve human and animal health worldwide – is a major supporter and benefactor of the Teen Center project. When asked how I felt about them supporting this project a lot of things came to mind but the first was extremely grateful.

I know that as many projects in the business world go, they cannot even attempt to be successful with out a strong partner. Bayer is our major and well known partner and supporter - contributing to the capital campaign to build the Teen Center and serving as the founding supporter of the Teen Task Force itself. Bayer is helping to supply the educational stipend that all members of the Teen Task Force will be receiving after finishing their time on the project.

Through this partnership with Bayer, I have had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with Joerg Heidrich, Senior Vice President and Berkeley Site Head of Bayer HealthCare. During our community engagement breakfast in September I was thrown the task of introducing him as our guest. Through some research that I did he appeared to be a very interesting man. His business philosophy is “I’m not the one making nice charts; I’m more the one who’s about action, execution, and making continuous improvements.”

Upon my second meeting with Mr. Heidrich at the YMCA Annual Dinner in November, I was actually able to sit next to him and have a regular conversation. And just as I had assumed about him being interesting – it was indeed true. Though he plays a major role at Bayer HealthCare he is still a normal guy. We talked about things like iPhones, iPods and how technology is advancing rapidly.

Mrs. Heidrich was talking to the guy next to her about exercise and how Mr. Heidrich needs to get back into it.

More information on Bayer HealthCare and the work they in the US and around the world click here.

More information on Bayer USA Foundation and the work they do to support non-profits like the YMCA click here.

12/11/08: Nothing I Should Feel Scared About

2008-12-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

As I slipped on my slacks I thought of all those people that were going to be there tonight." There is nothing I should feel scared about, I have met most of these people before, it will all be fine," I thought to myself as I took a deep calming breath. I got to the Teen Center at 5:00pm and positioned myself at the greeting table. Minutes later the room was filled with Rotarians – looking nice and mingling with Task Force.

Rotarians are members of the Rotary Club, a non- profit organization that is committed to improving communities everywhere. The Berkeley Rotary Club has been an important piece to the puzzle we’re working on – the making of the Teen Center – because of their financial support I am able to be a part of the Teen Center Task Force.

After introductions we gave tours of the building to the Rotarians and saw the look of excitement in their faces and heard it in their questions.

After tours back in the lobby Fran (the YMCA’s President/CEO) and Tracy (our supervisor) talked for a couple of minutes, and then it was our turn to be in the hot seat. We all spoke about why we joined the Task Force and what projects we were currently working on. We ended the night with a brief Q&A session.

The questions made us think and speak on our feet, but we all did our part to give accurate responses. Everyone spoke eloquently, I was proud of how far we have come as a team and as individuals. Okay, I’ll just say it – we did great!

Though the night was over and the event was a success, with both sides learning a lot from each other we still have a Teen Center to build.

Rotary likes to be involved in projects ‘with’ the community rather than ‘for’ the community. For more information on the types of projects that Rotary works on click here.

11/25/08: Jack LaLanne, Teens and the YMCA

2008-11-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

I was hit immediately by the whimsical but strong glint that shone through those blue zebra rimmed sunglasses. Behind those glasses were hidden the eyes of one of the world's most integral creators of modern day fitness. With an obscurely cracked joke and a punch to the shoulder I finally met the infamous Jack LaLanne along with his wife Elaine. Seeing as health is one of the YMCA's most important goals it was definitely appropriate to invite Jack to the Berkeley-Albany YMCA's Annual Celebration.

Along with the LaLannes the YMCA also honored radio host and parent educator Rona Renner and Pumpsie Green, the first African American player for the Boston Red Sox.
The Task Force was invited to the event for a number of reasons. We covered a wide array of jobs at the reception and dinner. Several of us were pretty much there to greet, mingle, and guide Jack and Elaine and other honorees and guests around. In our journeys we met and conversed with many people integral to our project: YMCA Board Members, donors and community leaders. We had an exhibit set up where two teens were explaining the Teen Center to a nothing less than captivated audience. Two other teens were also lucky enough to present an award to our friend Joerg Heidrich the Senior Vice President and Berkeley Site Head from Bayer HealthCare. Bayer has been such a help to the project and was honored as the YMCA’s Corporate Partner of the Year at the event.

In addition to all our great interactions we actually learned a thing or two and had some great food. This night showed us a new side to the Teen Center project. It gave us insight into how important the Teen Center actually is to the YMCA. No pressure though…we just have the weighty expectations of a whole lot of people not to mention a whole lot of money riding on our shoulders. I know we can pull through. Of course it helps seeing the YMCA pull together such a fabulous, well-crafted event. With skills like that on the team as well as this remarkable group I know we can make the Teen Center a marvelous reality.

If you missed the YMCA’s Annual Celebration you can still check out the slideshow of the event by clicking here.

11/24/08: What does LEED Look Like?

2008-11-24T15:40:00.000-08:00

On Saturday November 8th, three teens from the Task Force traveled with Tracy to the newly renovated California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco to learn more about the sustainable design aspects of the building. Diana Meckfessel, a professional counselor and mentor who is on the Task Force has a friend who is a docent there, and specializes in giving tours about sustainability. With her connection, we were able to get an “insider’s look” at what earned this building a LEED Platinum standing.
Being able to understand what the LEED program is is important to the Task Force because our goal is to create a LEED Gold Teen Center. Going on the tour illustrated to me how LEED actually looks in a building instead of just seeing it as a set of theoretical criteria written on piece of paper.

Our docent started by giving us some history on the architecture of the Academy, and then we got to the fun part. For me, the highlight of the tour was going up to the roof, which is entirely green. There, our docent explained the structural components of the building that were able to hold such an expansive roof that is entirely covered with shrubbery. Even though it was a cloudy morning, the roof offered picturesque views of the Golden Gate Park landscape. Observing the roof made me start thinking about how the Task Force could possibly design a green roof as well.
Going on field trips like this is especially interesting because it takes what we’re learning about in our weekly meetings out into the “real world” and shows how programs such as LEED are actually implemented in buildings.

To see the amazing rooftop garden at the California Academy of Sciences click here.

To find out what LEED stands for and for more information on LEED Certification click here.

11/19/08: Rotarians, Teens and the Berkeley Rep

2008-11-19T14:29:00.000-08:00

Berkeley Rotary Club – a key supporter of The Teen Task Force – invited us to a special evening at Berkeley Rep to see the play “Yellow Jackets” written by BHS graduate, Itamar Moses. I think they wanted us to get an idea of how Berkeley was back in the early 90’s – when the play takes place – so we could compare it to how things are today.

We’ve been working so hard on Teen Center project and it’s been quite a journey but we’re still not finished yet. I thought a field trip with some “down time” was just the thing we needed to keep positive and focused.

Our night began with a reception in the Rep’s courtyard, where we had refreshments and socialized with the Rotarians. The teens attacked the food: how could you not guess? The building was modern and beautiful and the courtyard open and welcoming. Greenery made it feel fresh and relaxing. (More new ideas to think about in terms of adding to our Teen Center.)

Anyways we took our seats and I browsed through the program to get a better feel for the play. Then it started with the flickering of lights and kids fighting. “Even back in the 90’s kids were fighting” I whispered to my neighbor.

I laughed from beginning to end because there really wasn’t that much of a difference from when I was in high school: same old fights, students talking back to the teachers, and complaints of the Jacket (the school paper) not meeting everyone’s needs.

I learned that there wasn’t much of a difference in Berkeley from then to now. Being a 2008 BHS graduate I’ve seen a lot happen over my 4 years there and most of the things I’ve seen in school I saw again in the play. It was like a flashback from when I was at Berkeley High.

For more information on the Berkeley Rotary Club click here.

For more information on Yellowjackets and Berkeley Repertory click here.

11/19/08: What does GREEN mean?

2008-11-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, we visited the Stopwaste.org building in Downtown Oakland to learn what a LEED Platinum building looks like. Outside, what I first noticed was a GREEN building – yes, the building itself was the color green! When we entered, the first thing we saw was a touch screen machine. “What is it?” Everybody asked. The machine showed how much energy the building saved per year, what percent of the electricity was coming from solar panels, and much more.

Then we were ready to continue the tour but before that, chocolate on the front desk was waiting for each one of us. With chocolate in our hands, we entered the largest and tallest room, similar to the main room from our Teen Center. There was a lot of space, light, and fresh air. Walking around the building, we saw their kitchen, which featured lights that turned on with a movement. The bathrooms were Antonia’s favorite. She liked how pretty they were, and the automatic faucets with their own solar sensors to generate power.

We were also impressed with the gallery of recycled art pieces. One that stood out to me was a shirt made of pictures from a magazine. Very pretty! Later we went to the second floor where the offices were located – similar to how our building will be. Everywhere there were desks with brochures and guides of how to be green and how to recycle.

Overall visiting this building was a great experience. It gave us new ideas for our building, a better understanding of what it is to be green, and made us wonder if we were able to do similar things in our building and if we had the budget to do them.

See what we saw - check out the virtual tour of Stopwaste.org for yourself

10/31/08: Three Exciting Options

2008-10-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

Alyson Yarus from Noll & Tam came to visit recently. First she chatted with us about our thoughts on the Yellow Jackets play at the Berkeley Rep (she saw it with some of the Task Force members). Then she presented us with three exciting layouts of what the teen center could possibly look like. One had three floors, another had a bunch of windows and they were all really great.

Our team pretty much unanimously all gravitated toward the same plan that we had all come to like without arguments or persuasion. So I guess the one we chose must be “the one” (hopefully). We all really liked Option #1 because it has a partial third floor (also known as the roof) with a bunch of programming going on up there. The rest of the building included a leadership development room, academic achievement room, and an employment career training office for teens as well. Alyson made notes on the schemes so she had to take them with her, but we’re all excited and can’t wait to see what she brings us next time.

Click here to see the plan the Teen Task Force favored.

10/07/08: 50% Business, 50% Fun

2008-10-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the Task Force gathered at the future Teen Center with local community members from various youth serving organizations throughout the city to brainstorm on what a successful Teen Center would look and feel like. Some of the teens would argue that 7:30 was way too early to be up and running the visioning session with thirty eager community leaders. However, delicious bagels, fruit, and coffee woke the group up very quickly. Nothing like good food to get people energized!
Each of us played a key role in running the visioning session, from doing small group ice breakers to giving a powerpoint, to running the actual session. For many of the Task Force members, this was our first time organizing and leading a presentation in front of a large group of adults. The visioning session made me feel like I was a mature and professional young adult. Towards the end, I led the group through a summary of all the ideas that we collaborated on.
Some main themes that came up:

The Teen Center needs to be a place where all groups of teens feel welcome. We should emphasize outreach to all teens, while not just focusing solely on low risk teens or high risk teens.

Coordination between other city agencies and organizations is key. Also, non-duplication of services is essential.

“50% business, 50% fun” is an idea that rose out of a focus group we held earlier this summer. This has become a new motto for how we are planning to shape the programming of the future Teen Center.

Ultimately, we will use the feedback and ideas gathered from the visioning session to formulate the vision statement for the future Teen Center.

9/30/08: The elephant in the room: MONEY

2008-09-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

It seems like procrastination has always been a part of the human mind and is permanently put in there. In life, you are assigned to do some things ahead of time yet it never fails that you wait until the last minute. And of course as you’re trying to crunch time and finish the assignment, a thousand and one things either attempt or succeed in distracting you. So as I sit here trying to remember what exactly happened in our meeting from about three weeks ago with Noll & Tam I realize that once again procrastination has come back to bite me.

As we all sat at the table awaiting the new design concepts that Noll & Tam were going to present to us, you could see some of the anticipation in our eyes. This was not the first concept they had showed us, but still just the general excitement of seeing another design was there. Or maybe the energy was just coming from the delicious cupcakes they had served us for snacks. But anyway they presented us two options. Option 1 seemed to be the ultimate favorite which made Option 2 to be in no one’s favor. Doesn't it always seem like when you have to choose between two things one just pops out at you and the other just fades to the side? Well that's how it felt at the meeting. Option 1 was creative and allowed us to build even more great ideas into it, including the idea of having a cafe on the roof, which by the way I strongly support and stand up for whole heartily. Which put Option 2 even more in the back burner. But as we further discussed Option 1 it seemed to cause a great white elephant in the room amongst the adults. MONEY!! And of course the ever so faithful issue of the amount of spaces in the parking lot. But yes money seems to be the root of all evil at time doesn't it? The problem was that Option 1 was going to cost us an extreme amount of money. I mean, of course this whole project is expensive but Option 1 sounded way over our budget. And as the money discussion arose the Teen Task Force became quite. It was like when a child is shopping with their parent and the parent says to them, “no we cannot buy that, it is too expensive” and the child begins to think of ways to bargain with the parent. Well the teens were the children and the adults were the parents.

But no idea in this project is ever shutdown because of money. There are ways to work around it, especially when we come together and think of ways to do so. So once again we all depart from another meeting with these things pondering in our minds only to prepare to present our ideas at the next session.

Want to know more about the Teen Center construction budget?

9/25/08: Searching My Mind to Find the Answer

2008-09-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Our visioning training with Tracy Shear from the Berkeley Alliance was a tool-learning meeting so that we (the teen task force) would know how to run our very own visioning session at the community engagement breakfast. This class had many components and took sort of a long time, so while sitting there I made a mental note to not let ours drag on that long when we did it-but we were still only learning. I will admit the training got us all thinking, but for me, I had just a tad of a harder time searching my mind to find the answer to what a successful teen center would look like while trying to look ten years into the future. Later, I found it easier to come up with ideas with my group where I wasn’t the only one thinking. I wasn’t nervous about speaking in front of people and running this breakfast at all. I guess public speaking comes easy to me when I’m not looking for something to say. In the end the breakfast was a huge success and went pretty smoothly for the most part. I had fun, I got to miss school for crying out loud. Lolz. Click here to find out what Lolz means.

09/05/08: Another Lonely Night Without Teens

2008-09-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been down at the station chatting it up with the Lieutenant, or skating in MLK park with the bros, you've probably noticed the big abandoned building on the corner of Center and MLK. This old cement box is going be transformed into the YMCA's new teen center come 2009-2010. This video will show you what the building looks like now, and it will give you a little preview of what we're planning to do with it. Hopefully, we'll look back on this short clip someday and laugh in triumph over what we have accomplished.

For now this lonely structure waits in anticipation of Extreme Makeover: Multi-Use Building Edition.

8/29/08: What if they say NO?

2008-08-29T13:55:00.001-07:00

Ok, so about two week ago Tracy, Kevin and I went to the family home of Board Members of a local family foundation to ask them for a donation for the future Teen Center. As we rode in Kevin’s car many thoughts were going through my mind like “What if they say no”. I mean, I had never done this before so I was a bit nervous. When we got there they greeted us at the door and we introduced ourselves. We had our meeting on their dining table, so it helped me relax and feel more comfortable. The whole family was nice and I could see in them that they were enthusiastic to hear what we had to say. Kevin started off talking about the Capital Campaign and answered questions about the money stuff. I followed to show them what the inside of the building looked as of then. I showed them how the first level will all be used by teens and the second level would house office staff from Metro. Tracy and Kevin were a great support because when I could not recall the names of organizations they reminded me. We then asked them if they had any questions and excitingly they did….for me too. They asked whether or not I thought teens would assist the Center and I confidently answered “YES”. I feel and know that teens at Berkeley High and the community need the educational and self empowering support. They also gave us some great feedback and brought many things to our attention like the possibility of having a gray water system, geothermal and radiant heating, as well as other things. Overall, I think I had nothing to worry about they were great people that helped create a comforting atmosphere that made our presentation a success.

Check back with us again soon – when we find out whether or not the foundation will fund the new Teen Center we’ll post it here!

See parts of the presentation to the family foundation. (click here)

8/14/08: The Least of Our Troubles

2008-08-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

Concept Design Charrette: A meeting in which possibilities are discussed in regards to the design and structure of a particular building.

A phase of the design process that the Teen Task Force got to experience first hand in the offices of Noll & Tam. Coming together to brainstorm, we all sat around a rectangular wooden table. The architects soon began to introduce the exercise that we were to complete. We were given guidance as to what our boundaries were, what was acceptable, not acceptable, and certain measures that we were to take into consideration.

Following the excursion of guidance, being put into three groups were the least of our troubles. Our task: create a schematic of the YMCA Teen Task Force.

Schematic: a visual representation of the design and structure of a building.

Members of the Teen Task Force, complete with guidance and excitement were given all the physical supplies that would be needed to complete the task at hand. Included in this were: a poster board, pieces of what looked like scratch paper, but were actually pieces of paper that represented different things that would need to go in the teen center such as bathrooms, offices, elevators etc.

The supplies also included a complex 3D ruler with numbers engraved on each side which turned out to be a architectural ruler, and writing utensils in case we felt an urgent desire to write something on the poster board in which all of the scraps of papers had to be glued on within the timeframe: 45 minutes.

There sat members of the Teen Task Force in utter confusion. But with great hope to complete our first charrette for the YMCA Teen Center, we began our journey. Despite the confusion that hovered over us, we encouraged one another and shared thoughts in our efforts to complete the charrette before the time was up.

With great collaboration and creativity, the first schematics of the YMCA Teen Center were completed by none other than the Teen Task Force. Now, it was time to present each group's schematic to the rest of the groups and attendees of the meeting. The presentations were successful and the charrette expanded our visual ability to understand the possibilities of the design and structure of the YMCA Teen Center Building.

See the concept drawings that resulted from this process.

7/14/08: Remember, Teens Love Food

2008-08-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

We held our first teen focus group for the programming phase of the future teen center. Each of the teen task force members were asked to bring a teen to attend the focus group. We gave the teens a tour of the building so they got a sense of what we were planning on talking about when we arrived at Noll and Tam’s office for the focus group.

Once we arrived at Noll and Tam’s office, Anthony Bernier, PhD. reviewed with the group the results from the previous community interviews. We then voted on the aspects we felt were of higher priority and put the ideas into two groups, A and B. For example lighting, ventilation, colors of walls and adding a green view were some of the community’s concerns. After a list of important and not-so-important criteria was compiled, we divided into two groups. Each group took one of the lists of priorities and was given the task of narrowing that list down by further discussing which items were really important or which weren’t. Another important piece to the hard work that we were doing was stuffing our faces with food a majority of the time. Remember; teens love food.

The end result was a list of approximately about ten important aspects to include in the future teen center and ten not-so-important aspects. That was our first teen focus group for the programming phase of creating the new YMCA Teen Center.

What were the top 10 important aspects of the future teen center? Click here to find out!

Kick-Off Meeting

2008-07-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

After officially hiring Noll & Tam, the Teen Task Force decided to start things off with a kick-off meeting. After great discussion, we developed a list of people to invite. Included in the meeting were the YMCA Teen Task Force, YMCA Board representatives, YCMA Teen Department staff, and Noll & Tam Architects. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the project overview, establish project parameters, and to begin project visioning. The architectural firm was introduced to the YMCA attendees by a Teen Task Force member who simply stated who Noll & Tam Architectural Firm is and how we came to our decision of hiring them as our architects. Following introductions, each attendee briefly explained one thing that they felt is important about the future Berkeley YMCA Teen Center. We discussed the project schedule and work plan that will take place. During the kick-off meeting, the community process was elaborated. Stakeholders were identified. Noll & Tam presented a PowerPoint presentation that exemplified teen spaces and teen cultures. The presentation represented what the teen culture is like and how the teen culture is important to include during the process of developing the new Berkeley YMCA Teen Center. As a group, the Teen Task Force, Noll & Tam, and the YMCA family identified goals and expectations for the future Teen Center project. These expectations and goals were expressed by every attendee in his or her opinion and were written down and later voted on by everyone to come to a consensus as to what are the top three most important aspects that need to be included in the Teen Center. These top three aspects are natural light and energy, outdoor space, and a welcoming energy.

This meeting was productive in the sense that it gave us all opportunities to open our minds to new ideas, goals, and expectations. Each person who attended expressed his or her ideas freely, and the group accepted them whole-heartedly. This kick-off meeting reminded us all that the Teen Center will not only effect teens but adults and the community as a whole as well. Throughout the process it is important for us to remain open to any suggestions, ideas, or even opposition because it is through these types of things that we will grow strong and create a Teen Center that is successful.

6/13/08: Architect Selection

2008-06-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

After weeks of extensive research, discussion, and many meetings, the Berkeley-Albany YMCA Teen Task Force has chosen Noll & Tam Architects as the architect for the highly anticipated teen center, to be housed in the old PG&E building. Noll & Tam is very compatible with this project for numerous reasons.

I feel the Task Force was particularly drawn to them because of their experience with similar projects. Currently, they are working with the City of Pleasanton to develop a master plan and concept design for a new youth center. They also designed a teen study area at the Carmichael Library in Sacramento. These buildings are just two examples of the relevant experience that we feel the team will bring to our project. By the end of interview process, the Task Force had identified a firm whose chemistry matched our group dynamic and the desired outcomes for the project. I was especially impressed by their team’s ability to directly connect to us as teens, the radiant enthusiasm that was consistently demonstrated throughout their presentation, and the genuine commitment that they showed toward the project. As part of their team, the Task Force will be working with Anthony Bernier, an educational consultant who will conduct focus groups with different community members as part of the programming phase. I’m really excited about hearing his insights on this very important stage of the process, and hope that his findings will guide us in the right direction as the Task Force works to balance what Berkeley teens need and want to get out of the Center.

Even though the Task Force is now on summer vacation from school, the hard work will continue, as we begin to work more closely with the firm in the programming phase. I, along with the other Task Force members, attended a kickoff meeting with Noll & Tam and Berkeley community members on Monday June 16th. Hopefully, everyone who participated in the meeting now has a clearer idea of who the firm is and the direction that the project is headed in. All participants were included in a mini brainstorming session, in which they got to name a few things that they would like to see happening in the Teen Center. On June 25th, the Task Force will hold a day long interview session in which we talk with various community stakeholders about what they envision happening in the Teen Center. I think that the primary goal is to reach a cross section of educators, students, city employees, and non-profit organizations, so that we can start to collaboratively brainstorm and discuss different ideas.