End of Year Celebrations 07/01/2010
 Urban League Scholars Class of 2010 Many of our Sound Youth VISTA and Notre Dame AmeriCorps members celebrated the end of the school year with events at their sites. Members planned parties for their students; hosted cookouts for their communities; chaperoned proms/school dances; participated in student showcases; and much more. SY/NDA congratulates all the young people at our service sites on their accomplishments in 2009-2010. A special shoutout to all the 2010 graduates: YOU DID IT!  The Cleveland Journal news crew and VISTA, Joe Livarchik, at the Seattle Times dinner  College Access Now's Senior Night  Longhouse Media's Superfly Filmmaking Experience. 50 young people made films and screened them at the Egyptian Theater  The Tyee Educational Complex drama club led by NDA member, Hannah Sherrard  by Hannah Sherrard Five months ago, we started a drama club as part of the ongoing after school program. Most students had never been involved in theatre before--had never even seen a play. I started off by teaching them very basic acting skills by doing exercises and playing improv games. After seeing a few productions in Seattle, the students decided they were ready for a play of their own, and worked very hard for two months learning their lines and getting ready. This was a serious challenge and accomplishment for these students. Not only did they develop their acting skills in the process, but they also formed a close bond with each other, developed leadership skills, found an outlet for creative energy, overcame fears and became confident and talented young adults. In two performances, the students came together and put on an incredible show for 150 of their family members, friends and community members. These students have a lot to be proud of--I know I'm certainly very proud of them. SY/NDA Celebrates AmeriCorps Week! 05/24/2010
 The SY/NDA team kicked off AmeriCorps Week (May 8-15, 2010) with a photo scavenger hunt on May 7th. The team broke up into groups and scoured Seattle neighborhoods to capture the best (and most ridiculous) pictures of one another engaging in quintessential Seattle activities. (Check out the pictures on our Facebook page!) In the afternoon we were surprised with appreciation goody bags from SY/NDA leadership. The bags were stuffed with donated tickets, passes, gift certificates, and items for members to explore Seattle attractions and have free fun! 29 organizations and businesses supported the SY/NDA team during AmeriCorps Week by donating over $2,500 worth of items for our members! Thank you to the following for your generous donations: 5th Avenue Theater Artist & Craftsman Supply Barnes & Noble Bike Works Dick’s Drive-In Restaurants Elliott Bay Book Company Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum Garage Henry Art Gallery Hothouse Spa and Sauna Jazz Alley Restaurant andNightclub Jillian’s Billiard’s King’s Hardware Makeda Coffee Meany Hall for the Performing Arts Mighty O Donuts Museum of History and Industry On 15th Video Rudy’s Barbershop Scarecrow Video Seattle Art Museum Seattle Language Academy Stumptown Coffee The Children’s Museum Top Ten Toys Tutta Bella Whole Foods-Westlake Wing Luke Museum Woodland Park Zoo The Cleveland High School Photography Club is featured in local media. Click here for the original post on Blogging Georgetown or read below! Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center EXHIBITION: Cleveland High School Photography Club DATES: May 01 –31, 2010 OPENING: Saturday (Art Attack), May 08, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. LOCATION: 5511 Airport Way South, Seattle, Washington (above Stellar Pizza) HOURS: Mon. 1 – 5PM, Tues. – Sun. by appointment SOUTH SEATTLE TEENS EXPLORE THEIR IDENTITY AND UNIQUENESS THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY The Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center is pleased to present “The Cleveland High School Photography Club,” an exhibition of recent work by Zech B., Shamisha B., Jessica P., Autumn W., Amethyst W. and Jazmine C. The CHS Photography Club’s installation of autobiographical photographs exhibits a diverse array of self interpretation and awareness. While exploring the many facets of each student’s identity, he/she included family, heritage, race, ethnicity, place, passions, hope for the future, and the challenges that stand before them. Their photographs are deeply personal and enticing, captivating and endearing. Please join us and the artists at the opening reception during Art Attack on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 6pm. To preview their work please visit: www.facebook.com In an effort to combat the high drop out rate at Cleveland High School, surveys were taken and results showed a need for more opportunities in the arts. In 2009, Dana Johnson, club advisor and Americorps VISTA member, along with Andrew Hida, a local documentary photographer created the CHS Photography Club and it’s earnest curriculum focusing on the need that each student has for creative expression. The Club acquired ten digital cameras through generous donations and grant funding. All of their film processing and printing is done at the Photographic Center Northwest. They most recently were awarded a Smart Ventures grant to complete their project from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and will soon be gaining public recognition, affirmation of their talent and hard work, and a connection to their schools surrounding community; an opportunity that many Cleveland High School students have not yet had.  One of our VISTA partnering sites, Girls on the Run of Puget Sound, was recently featured on King5.com, a local media site. Click here to go to the article or read below. GOTR's next 5K community event and Fall graduation is December 12, 2009 at Seward Park in Seattle. Click here for more information and to register. (LEFT) Sound Youth VISTA member, Chelsea Hodgson, particpates in a GOTR 5K event last Spring. Chelsea is a GOTR coach and serves behind the scenes doing outreach and program planning. Program for girls stresses physical fitness, self esteem by JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News Young girls often feel intense social pressure to fit in and look pretty. Now there's a program that's helping girls break out of the mold and feel healthier. Life lessons and physical fitness are all combined in this after-school program called Girls on the Run. "We have lesson topics on healthy habits, so physical health, positively expressing emotion, their values," said Amber Swim, Girls on the Run The aim is prevention of adolescent health issues, such as eating disorders, depression, teen pregnancy and substance abuse. Research shows girls in the program are more likely to be active, more satisfied with their own body size, and have improved self esteem. They don't have to be athletes to join. "I used to be just a couch potato, and sit on the couch and go to school, and learn about bones and stuff. but I would never exercise," said Raven. By December they'll be ready for a 5-K fun run. Families and coaches run and walk alongside the girls who all wear race number one. "I feel proud that everyone in third grade and fourth grade looks up to me when we run," said Sarah. It's that combined benefit of fitness and self esteem that appeals to mom, Debra Diederichs.. "It's what they have instilled in her now, that she can take with her to middle school and high school, and into womanhood," said Deiderichs, mother of fourth grader, Renee. Right now there are thirteen local sites for girls on the run. The next chance for girls to join the program is in spring. But everyone can do the fun run in December. The program is co-sponsored locally by Seattle Children's Hospital. Fees for families are on a sliding scale, and girls on the run scholarships are available. Dana Johnson and Joe Livarchik, two Sound Youth VISTA members, helped bring back Cleveland High School's student newspaper after a 7 year hiatus! Dana's photography skills and Joe's journalism background aligned perfectly, allowing them to revive a valuable student resource and create after school photography & journalism clubs. The first issue of the new Cleveland Journal was created in collaboration with Cleveland High School, Sound Youth, Service Learning Seattle, and the Seattle Times. We spent our first official Team Friday building a foundation for our group to engage in a year of service with youth. In the morning facilitators from Seattle Young People's Project led a youth empowerment training that challenged our ideas about systems of oppression and helped us brainstorm ways to be effective adult allies in the context of our service. In the afternoon Kristin Tucker (a yoga instructor at the Samarya Center and Program Manager at the Northwest Network) led a workshop on boundary-setting and self-care. Kristin helped us flesh out exactly what we mean when we use the term "self-care," and emphasized the importance of taking care of ourselves during our service year. Kristin also facilitated a yoga & meditation session to provide an example of something many people find valuable in their self-care practices. Thanks to SYPP, Kristin Tucker, and the SY/NDA team for an engaging day!       Challenge Course 09/18/2009
The team headed out to Camp River Ranch in Carnation, WA to spend some quality time together. We split into two groups and facilitators from the camp led each group through a series of challenges. These activities allowed us to explore our skills and problem-solve as a community. After a hard day's work, we shared lunch by the river.       Day of Caring Service Project 09/11/2009
SY/NDA participated in the 2009 United Way Day of Caring by spending the afternoon in the sunshine, working with the EOS Alliance AmeriCorps team. We removed invasive ivy & blackberry and mulched part of a 15-acre greenbelt on Beacon Hill as part of the Maple School Natural Area Habitat Restoration project. After our service project, some members of our team headed to the Day of Caring after party to meet other volunteers. NDA member, Nathan Stuart, met Governor Gregoire and explained how SY/NDA serves youth in the greater Seattle area.  Nathan Stuart and Governor Gregoire showing SY/NDA some love at the 2009 Day of Caring. Welcome to our 2009-2010 Team! Andrea, Jamie, Kerry, Lexi, and Sofie at College Access Now Natalie at Technically Learning Jake, Moeko, and Stephanie with Native Lens Jim, Hannah, Nathan, Landon, and Vijou at Community Schools Collaboration Raphaela and Victoria with Read Right at Garfield High School Sarah at Spruce Street Secure Crisis Residential Center Jessica and Magan with Urban League Scholars at Garfield High School Chelsea at Girls on the Run Brooks with Outdoors for All Joe and Dana with Service Learning Seattle at Cleveland High School Jeff at Seattle Youth Garden Works Holly at Sound Youth VISTA/Notre Dame AmeriCorps |