October 2024 | eNewsletter | |
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Dear Friends,
As the temperatures come back down and we welcome our fall weather again in the Bay Area, we are taking a moment to pause and reflect on our 25th year, including one of the most active summers in recent memory. YES supported the most diverse array of camps and leadership experiences we have ever had. Campers scattered across the Northern California region–from the coast, to the redwoods, to the mountains–and a few even jetted out to the roots of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama. In these spaces and destinations, they built skills and friendships, while also gaining crucial perspectives on the historical and present day movements shaping their lives.
Time together–learning, exploring, celebrating, and healing–was built into the foundation of YES in its early days, and it fills my heart everytime I see new mini-communities form in our midst. Read on to learn more about our very first cohort of students that spent much of the summer of ‘99 together and how YES’s year-round programming has evolved since. You can also catch up on what we’ve been celebrating recently and a couple events we’re looking forward to in the months ahead.
If you’re looking for time to fill, YES is here with options. Whether marine life and conservation science is what you’re after; you want to borrow a little inspiration and power from a racial justice leader; or you’re looking to unwind and connect with your YES community, it’s all here for you.
It’s always better with you by our side.
In community,
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Eric Aaholm, Executive Director | |
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On Saturday mornings in the summer of 1999, ten students from Coronado Elementary piled into a rented van and set off for new destinations. With each outing, they learned more about wildlife and the environment; explored different interests and hobbies; and built a community where they felt safe and free to be themselves.
As our community grew and YES focused on connecting youth and families with summer camps, we were missing these small, tight-knit groups and the opportunities they provide for leadership, friendship, and skill-building. In 2012, we launched the Camp-to-Community (C2C) program for teens ages 14-18 and ushered in a new era of year-round cohorts.
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Today, instead of one, YES offers eight unique age-based cohorts for community members aged 8 and up. Just like their predecessors in 1999, cohort members visit regional parks, museums, and learning centers, and through the Youth and Adult Leadership Pathways, they build their social and leadership skills. Over the months, the groups become a big pod of friends who share special experiences, learn with one another, and build a community of their own.
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Summer Leadership Celebration
This summer 42 teens ages 13-17 explored leadership and gained new skills through various roles, outings, and adventures. Whether it was navigating their group onto the right trails on a multi-night backpacking journey; mentoring young campers as counselors-in-training at one of our summer camp partners; or learning about the civil rights movement and racial justice during three weeks with The Encampment, the experiences these campers had will have lasting positive effects on their confidence and skills.
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“The Encampment didn’t just inspire me… it opened doors for me. I made so many connections with people who offered to mentor me, passionate activists who want to change the world, and loyal friends from all over the world.” | |
Building Design Approved
On September 11th, the City of Richmond Design Review Board approved the designs for YES’s new Base Camp center, putting us one step closer to construction! With our approval letter in hand, we’re excited to have cleared the first major milestone and to be moving into permitting and construction documents with groundbreaking on the horizon in mid-2025.
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Rich City Kickback
On Saturday November 9th, come join YES’s TREES program at the Richmond Recreation
Compex in support of mental health and community wellness. Experience an array of physical and mental healing modalities and connect with local businesses, performers, and the young adults from the TREES programs, amplifying the call for the City of Richmond to fund more accessible community healing.
Help us spread the word by inviting your friends and sharing on Facebook and Instagram!
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Parks We Love:
Marine Mammal Center
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Located just across the bridge in Sausalito, the Marine Mammal Center was one of YES’s very first weekend outings back in 1999 and it remains a favorite today.
An industry leader in animal care, research, and conservation education, The Marine Mammal Center provides sea lions, sea otters, and a variety of seals with specialized care and rehabilitation before releasing them back into the wild. At their Sausalito hospital, the largest marine mammal hospital in the world!, visitors can learn all about the animals making their recovery and the waters they’ll be returned to. Outside on the observation decks, you can catch a glimpse of some of the recovery tanks where patients slink around the deck and play in the water. Inside the newly renovated visitors center, live cam feeds of the Center’s patients give a behind-the-scenes peak.
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The hands-on marine science experience has instilled a sense of hope and responsibility in 25 years of YES youth who have visited. And for an admission cost of $0.00, the Marine Mammal Center is an incredible classroom for any aspiring ocean heroes! | |
YES Nature to Neighborhoods | (510) 232-3032 | www.yesfamilies.org | | | | |
