Photo Page
See photos of YCS participants in action!
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Summer Of Service 2012
June 18 - August 3, 2012 middle school age youth (6th-8th grade) and incoming freshmen participated in a two week session of SOS and FLC. SOS had four focus areas: Homelssness/Hunger, Childcare/Education, Seniors/Healthcare and Environment. FLC (Freshman Leadership Corps) is an environmental watershed group with a focus on STEM related curriculum. The SOS youth provided service throughout the bay area from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. Some of the projects included intergenerational converations with seniors, creek clean up and water testing, assisting at a preschool, pulling non-native plants and packing food boxes for the families in need.
Cesar Chavez Service Day 2012
On March 31, 2012 YCS middle school and high school from a varitey of program sites participated in Cesar Chavez Service Day. Although it was raining, more that 20 YCS students particpated in different service projects for Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto. The projects included weeding, building compost bins and putting up new volleyball nets. In addition the projects, students were able to learn more about healthy eating and enjoyed delicious fruit smoothies.
Halloween for Hunger 2011
On Oct 31, 2011 YCS Middle and High School students participated in Halloween for Hunger. Halloween for Hunger is a unique event where students go door to door on Halloween collecting canned goods instead of candy for local food banks. This year students collected cans for the Second Harvest Food Bank and Ecumenical Hunger Program. YCS students worked alongside with Paly and Gunn Key Club students in the neighborhoods surrounding JLS Middle School to collect bags full of canned goods. Halloween for Hunger, an event started by Free the Children gives youth a unique opportunity to help end hunger in their own communities and raise awareness of an often invisible local problem.
Diversity Day 2011
On Wednesday, March 16, 2011 middle and high school students came together at the Cubberley Community Center to learn and share their different cultures through food. We learned about the colorful traditions of Diwali, tasted delicious German bratwurst, made spicy salsa, drank boba milk tea, and much more! Students also presented on their cultures through photos, Powerpoint presentations, songs, musical instruments, and oral histories. We had a great time playing games on how to understand different cultures and enjoying each other's company!
Gunn Service Day 2011
On Thursday, March 3, 2011, Gunn high school students took time out to work on community service projects at over 13 different sites, including the Mid-Peninsula Open Space District. YCS works with several non-profit organizations to facilitate these opportunities for students to give back to their local communities.
Valentine's Day 2011 at Lytton Gardens
On Monday, February 14, 2011 YCS middle school students helped out at Lytton Gardens Senior Center for their Valentine's Day Auction! Students passed out Valentine's Day cards, helped seniors to win prizes, and connected with each other and the seniors in our community.
MLK Day of Service 2011
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 17, 2011), the City of Palo Alto held a Day of Service Fair at Lytton Plaza to provide community members with local volunteer service projects. Youth Community Service, along with other community organizations, provided hands-on projects at the Plaza, and YCS partnered with Public Allies to enable community members to serve at James Flood Elementary in East Palo Alto. Volunteers did clean up and painting at the school. The Day of Service Fair was spearheaded by Palo Alto Mayor Sid Espinosa.
Photo Archives: Click here if you'd like to see more photos from previous years.