UWYV had five Venture Teams present at a community panel this month. The pictures above are from the two Oakmont Regional High School panels. The teams launched are
APUSH4PEACE and
Growing Towards the Future.
APUSH4PEACE is a Youth Venture Team made up of an entire 11th grade AP US History class at Oakmont. As a class they started learning about the Marshall Plan, and became inspired by the idea of giving foreign aid and spreading American prosperity. The inspiration came right as their school held their first Unified Basketball Game, which helps non-traditional learners, and gave them an idea for their fundraiser – a 3 on 3 basketball tournament. Funds raised at this event are supporting the construction of high school latrines and sanitation facilities in Cambodia.
Growing Towards the Future is hoping to support the EXCEL program at Oakmont. These three boys will be building two raised garden beds and donating them to the EXCEL program, which will allow students to work in these gardens. The boys’ inspiration stems from the love for one of their basketball teammates who is in the EXCEL program. They know it is one of the most rewarding feelings to make someone’s day. They hope to do this for more of the EXCEL students and the community in general. Since the EXCEL students are among the most vulnerable at Oakmont, the ultimate goal is for the EXCEL students to donate crops to local food banks and help them to feel empowered by giving them a unique opportunity to create something and to help others resulting in something positive that they might not usually get to experience.
Meals for Shields is a team comprised of two senior boys from Monty Tech who realize how much firefighters sacrifice during the holidays by being away from their families when they are scheduled to work. These students raised money and sponsorship funds and is delivering hams and pies on Saturday to every single firehouse in the 27 cities and towns in the Monty Tech district to enjoy during Christmas shifts. Special thanks to Price Chopper and the Monty Tech culinary program for providing discounted food!
DC Bound is a Sky View Middle School team that started this Venture to be able to help offset costs for families of students going on the 8th grade trip to Washington DC. They discovered that the expense of the trip can be a hardship for some families and they have raised money to purchase supplies and to be able to provide some families with money to for meals for students on the trip.
Given that health class is no longer funded at Sky View Middle School, the two girls from
Love Yourself, Find Yourself decided to bring mental health awareness to their school. They sell hot chocolate to raise awareness and to make donations to local organizations who share their mission, such as the local chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They host "Wear Green" days at their school for mental health awareness. Additionally, they sell cards that students can buy to write a kind, encouraging note to teachers and other students. Look for
Love Yourself, Find Yourself on the front page of today's Sentinel & Enterprise, or read the article here:
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/breakingnews/ci_32341932/middle-schoolers-raising-mental-health-awareness
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR NEW YOUTH VENTURE TEAMS! We think you are amazing!
