|
|
|
|
June News & Summer Programs
|
|
|
|
Blue Waters Kayak trip donated to Tomales Bay Youth Center members this Spring.
|
|
Dear Community,
As West Marin Community Services reaches the end of our year of coordinated youth services and programs through the Tomales Bay Youth Center, our team can say without hesitation it has been an amazing year, filled with growth and new opportunities. There have been lessons learned, and staff at times was stretched, yet the projected program goals are being met. By the increased enrollment and participation, we recognize, more than ever, the needs in our community for youth services. This year we were open 5-days a week and served over 75 students!
Our most notable accomplishments include:
- Daily engagement with Community Partners
- Increased WMCS-Youth Services staff
- Established a WMCS-Youth Services Advisory Committee
- Added a Learning in Afterschool-Quality Assessment Tool
- Utilized an Active Network-Student Information System
We also experienced growing pains. These challenges reflect the massive task it is to establish a coordinated youth services program in the Point Reyes Station area. As we move forward, we are determined to improve communication between key stakeholders and families; increase access to facilities and community spaces; streamline our enrollment process; align standards and expectations between WMCS and SUSD. We are excited about continuing to align WMCS programs and services with SUSD programs and services.
WMCS has made it their priority to learn what more is needed for West Marin School staff, administrators, and parents to be confident and invested in the work we do. We will explore ways to increase our partnerships so that we can continue to grow and develop the capacity to be responsive, collaborative, and trained for situations as they arise. We need your help to develop confidence in a youth program that supports our community. We are committed to being accountable for the programs and services that we coordinate and promote. We will work to incorporate your ideas, and process concerns, and move forward together to increase confidence and accountability so WMCS can continue to serve and support our community, our young people, and our families moving forward.
Lastly, we want to congratulate and celebrate 8th-grade and 12th-grade graduates as well as all students who rise to the next level of learning and growth on their academic journey. We are proud of the tremendous effort you made this past year and we are grateful for the hands-on contributions you made toward building community. We hope your summer is restorative, full of adventure, and good health.
Madeline Nieto Hope
Director, Youth Services Program
|
|
|
Mountain Biking with Emile Mulholland
After a successful year of Mountain Biking with coach Emile Mulholland, our weekly rides have come to a close. We will resume our Mountain Biking program in the Fall of 2022.
A special thanks to coach Emile for his steady, thoughtful approach to this work and for sharing his dedication with our youth and this program. Thank you to Marin Charitable, Rotary Club of West Marin, and Marin County Parks for the generous grants to produce this program, store our bikes and equipment, and purchase new bikes and helmets for our program. We are grateful for your support of many young people who would otherwise not have this opportunity to explore riding bikes safely with adult supervision and guidance.
This summer, our Mountain Bike and Skateboarding Clubs will work with WMCS staff, coaches, business partners, and youth members to finally produce a proposal for Supervisor Rodoni and Marin County Parks that advocates for recreational features in Point Reyes Station for biking and skateboarding. You can participate by reaching out to WMCS staff.
|
|
|
|
Youth Transforming Justice
Partners/Sponsors: Youth Transforming Justice, Marin County Office of Education, and TUPE
Our youth center middle school and high school members participated in an effective training with Youth Transforming Justice in late May. A combination of fourteen middle school and high school students, and three TBYC staff members, participated in the training led by Youth Transforming Justice founder Don Carney. The training focused on understanding the societal factors driving the school-to-prison pipeline and how youth can be empowered to transform the juvenile justice system toward a more compassionate and equitable approach. This was followed up with five THS students completing additional training on June 4th around "Tier 2" offenses.
The focus moving forward will be to establish a committed group of students to lead a West Marin Peer Solutions Team. This group of young people will continue their training and ultimately stand as a Youth Transforming Justice body that can address Tier 1 offenses from all schools in West Marin. This body of Peer Solutioneers will act under the guidance and support of the Marin County Youth Transforming Justice program.
|
|
|
|
|
Maker Sessions
Partners/Sponsors: West Marin Climate Action, Gallery Route One-Mobile Maker Program, Rotary Club of West Marin, Agriculture Institute of Marin (AIM), County of Marin, USF
Until the end of June, the Eco-Sorting Stations (ESS) are on display at Gallery Route One's, Artists in the Schools Program. This was a tremendously successful partnership with many community partners who act on their values of youth engagement, reduced pollution, collaborative climate action, and increased clean resource recovery: compost and recycling. Please check out the ESS and provide feedback on how the ESS works for you! TBYC middle and high school makers worked weekly with community partners and WMCS staff to build ESS, aligned the single-use materials with appropriate receptacles, and display materials for Recology and Marin Sanitary in such a way that it is intended to help the consumer visualize where the materials go once consumed. On display at Toby's til the end of June, then in use this summer at AIM-Point Reyes Station- Framers Market and the Sunday Farmers Market at the Marin County Civic Center!
|
|
|
Youth DJ Project
Partners/Sponsors: KWMR, MCOE-School to Career Program
We acknowledge KWMR for their steady support and commitment to young people engaging in the Youth DJ Project and understanding community radio's power and purpose. Thank you for lifting the voices, the experiences, and the music centered on youth voice, youth perspectives, and music genres that gave listeners a glimpse of life for youth and young adults living, working, and learning in West Marin. Listen now to a radio archive of one of our shows in partnership with University of San Francisco Nursing students discussing risk and protective factors with our young people. Topics such as Healthy Eating, Loneliness, and Social Isolation, Sleep as Self Care, Stress Management, Bullying, and Social Media were developed as flyers attached here.
|
|
|
|
Summer Projects at the WMCS-TBYC
Although the Tomales Bay Youth Center will not hold it regular business hours, we will be engaged with projects at the Tomales Bay Youth Center. Our summer program will focus on existing projects and meaningful youth development that prepares the program, staff, youth, and young adults to implement and lead our Fall Action Plan for the 2022/2023 School Year. Youth are welcome to participate in our program and support projects. We will not host days for lounging at the Youth Center. The projects underway include:
- We are developing and presenting a proposal to Marin County Parks and Supervisor Rodoni for a skateboard and a mountain bike recreation feature at a County Park in Point Reyes Station.
- Cleaning, painting, and organizing at the Tomales Bay Youth Center
- Fabrication and monitoring of the Eco-Sorting Station at the Point Reyes Farmers Market.
- Swimming lessons for Middle School and High School students.
- Managing open gym schedule plus recreation opportunities for middle, and high school students and families through the summer months
- Youth Transforming Justice-Peer Solutions Teamwork to make the dream work.
- We are working with San Geronimo Valley Community Center and WMCS staff to organize and plan for community conversations about food systems, equity, and economic opportunity in West Marin.
|
|
|
Tomales Bay Waterdogs Applications Are Open
Session Dates: July 25 - August 5, Monday – Friday Afternoons
Shell Beach, Inverness, CA 94937
Cost:
$80 in advance
$90 after July 29
Limited scholarships are available for West Marin residents. Please send questions and applications to waterdogs@westmarincs.org.
To donate to scholarships, click here.
|
|
|
Thank You for Your Continued Support
Our Youth Center staff, the West Marin Lions Club, youth and young adults were deeply involved in many aspects of this year's Western Weekend. Your contributions helped our Youth Center program engage with program partners, community projects, and dynamic opportunities that led to young people working in the community to make a difference. Your contributions to our program ensure that we have the resources to sustain our work in West Marin. Please consider contributing today.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
