October 2023

Volunteer of the Month

Meet Geo, our Volunteer of the Month!

Geo is an 8th-grade student who loves volunteering because he wants to make an impact in the local community. His favorite project so far was at the Nimmo Community Garden over the summer. He enjoyed pulling weeds and harvesting the produce that helps provide healthy food for local residents. He believes young people should volunteer because it allows them to make a difference in their communities. In Geo's words, "Even from a young age, we can all make a positive impact on the people and places around us."

Fun facts: Geo is "quite the fan of bucket hats," which he often models at our service projects. He also enjoys playing the trumpet and recently joined the jazz band.

YVC Club Sponsor Spotlight

Each month, we'll highlight one of our fantastic club sponsors. These dedicated educators provide service-learning experiences for students using the YVC framework and play an important role in connecting youth to our programs.

Krystel King - Warwick High School

Khrystel's journey from a close-knit Georgia community to a biology degree, research role, and ultimately a Master's in Science Education was influenced by a transformative mentor. Her volunteer work, love for long-distance running, and role as a dedicated mother underscore her commitment to community, resilience, and meaningful connections. Her YVC students are part of our Service Through STEM program, where they serve as near-peer mentors through hands-on STEM challenges with 5th-grade students throughout the school year.

We are excited to introduce Jeremy Wall as our Director of School Partnerships! He joins us with a combined 18 years of experience in both the nonprofit sector and public education. With a solid foundation in Communication Studies from Christopher Newport University and a wealth of experience in youth-focused organizations, Jeremy listens to the needs of the communities he serves and works to be an inspiring force. His experiences have led him to an unwavering belief in the transformative power of education and mentorship.

In his new role with YVCHR, Jeremy oversees our Service Through STEM program, which has expanded to 16 schools across Newport News and Hampton. Jeremy's ability to write engaging curricula and coordinate logistics for hundreds of participants, as well as his emphasis on relationship-building as he works directly with our club sponsors and students make him an huge asset to the YVCHR team.

As a reminder, the project calendar no longer includes a dropdown menu for project registration; you will now be redirected to YDAT, which requires a user profile. See below for more details!

Step 1. Visit https://ydat.org/site/HamptonRoads

Step 2. Log in with your existing credentials -OR- create a new account.

Step 3. Access your YDAT account and explore list of service projects.

Step 4. Register for a project by clicking the word "REGISTER" next to your project(s) of choice. Then scroll to the bottom and click the "REGISTER" button. You can register for multiple projects at once.

Step 5. You'll be directed to a confirmation screen with project details. Be sure to read all project information carefully. You will also receive a confirmation message to the email address associated with your YDAT account.

**NOTE: If you do NOT receive an email confirmation, then you have not officially registered for the project. Be sure you have clicked both "REGISTER" buttons to ensure you're added to the project roster.**

(We are currently working with the programmer to make this step less confusing. In the meantime, think of the "REGISTER" button that's next to the project you're signing up for as "ADD TO CART;" the other "REGISTER" button at the bottom of the project listing is like clicking "CHECKOUT.")

Upcoming Service Projects

• Click the project links below or visit our Project Calendar for more information about each service opportunity. Some projects have special requirements or considerations, so please read carefully.
• Log in to your YDAT account to sign up for project(s)! Volunteer spots go fast, so be sure to reserve yours ASAP.
• Be sure you can commit and have transportation to the project(s) for which you are registered.
• Ensure you receive timely informational emails by adding programdirector@yvchr.org to your contact safelist. To avoid having our emails go to junk/spam, click here for Safelist directions!

You can see our youth volunteers in action by following us

on Facebook and Instagram!

Haunted Trail

(Peninsula)

Friday, October 13th

5:30pm-9:30pm

Haunted Trail

(Peninsula)

Saturday, October 28th

9:00am-12:00pm

Bounce House Respite Night

(Southside)

Sunday, October 22nd

5:00pm - 7:30pm

Special Olympics Bocce Ball Championship Games

(Southside)

Sunday, November 4th

9:30pm - 1:30pm

Rock the Spectrum Respite Night

(Southside)

Saturday, November 18th

5:00pm - 7:30pm

Special Olympics Bowling

(Peninsula)

Wednesdays, November 1 - December 13

*This is a weekly commitment.*

3:45pm - 5:00pm

Senior Makeovers & High Tea at the Gardens

(Peninsula)

Tuesday, November 7th

*Election Day--NO SCHOOL*

10:00am-3:00pm

Soundscapes: Gator Cabaret

(Peninsula)

Thursday, November 30th

4:00pm-7:30pm

Weighted Angels 5K

(Peninsula)

Saturday, October 21st

8:30am-11:30am

Community Partner Spotlight

As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 43,000 strong. For more information, visit hii.com.