Time flies, and we have had many unique opportunities to change the lives of our young people. We have also faced challenges regarding how to continue moving and using all our skills to serve our children. In this e-news, we would like to share some of the highlights of the last two months, from advocating in Sacramento to training over 50 leaders with peer-to-peer trauma management. If you are curious, please keep reading! I hope you enjoy this e-news!
We are supporting our local Parishes!
As you may not know, the Salesian Family Youth Center is collaborating with St. Isabel and St. Mary's church to provide service to the young people from our community. On March 1 - 3, 2024, Luis Chacon led a Holy Week retreat for our community's children and young people!
Did you know that we have Girl Scouts?
We are thrilled to announce that Troop 82563 had a fantastic debut at our first Girl Scout Cookie booth! Thanks to our community's incredible support, we could sell over 100 boxes of cookies. The girls had a fantastic experience interacting with customers and learning valuable skills. A big thank you to everyone who came out and supported our troop! Your generosity helps us continue to empower these young girls to become leaders in their community.
Kung Fu Panda 4 - Advanced screening
On March 7, 30 of our We Care students and staff were able to attend an advanced screening of Kung Fu Panda 4 for their March field trip!! They had a fun night watching an awesome movie. We're thankful for Tickets for Kids, who we collaborated with to make this night possible. Thank you!!
Collaborating with the West Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club
We have 12 of our We Care students participating in our youth basketball for the Mamba League! Our teams have done excellent, making it to the championship for both teams in the league. We are excited to see how far our teams will make it and are grateful to the WSGVBGC for welcoming us to the league. Mamba League Clinic where they got to learn new skills and better their game! Sponsored by Nike, the Nike athletes led drills and activities to help our kids know the basics of basketball.
NEW OUTREACH Program at the SFYC
Our first cohort of the Outreach Program has officially graduated! These teens participated in 12 weeks of Marketing and Career Readiness courses. This could not have been done without the support of our excellent guest speakers! If you would like to be a speaker in our next round, which will begin in August, email cmendoza@salesianclubs-la.org to participate!
We are part of our community!
Two of our Admin team, Christina and Andres, attended a collaboration breakfast at the Boyle Heights Tech Center. At this event, our ongoing partnership with the Tech Center was recognized through the certificate we received!! Thank you to the Tech Center for being an excellent partner and organizing a great event.
We are getting ready for our summer program!
Our counselor meetings have begun! They are every Friday at 6 p.m. We need teen volunteers to help us prepare for summer camp! If you know anyone interested in being a camp counselor this summer, have them email cmendoza@salesianclubs-la.org.
Exposing our youth to the reality of homelessness
Our purpose in visiting the homeless is to expose our young people to the reality of living on the street and the consequences of decision-making. Every month, we visit Skid Row and help the young people reflect on their gifts and understand the importance of continuing to study and work on themselves.
We are advocating for young people that we don't even know.
From March 12th to 14th, the Salesian Family Youth Center advocated for college students living in their cars to have overnight parking permits at colleges, for more funding for students with disabilities, and for other issues. This occurred at the event organized by The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, "ACCESS D.C."
We are fostering community health through collaboration.
On Friday, March 29th, Visión y Compromiso hosted the "Agenda: Su Salud está en sus manos" event at the Salesian Family Youth Center. This initiative brought together representatives from various health institutions to emphasize collaboration in promoting societal health and well-being. Attendees included representatives from Visión y Compromiso, the White Memorial Community Health Center, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Supervisor Hilda L. Solis's Health Deputy District Director, the Jewish Women's Association, Fiesta Educativa, and other health and education organizations.
Our families visited the Getty Center
The Getty Center invited us to join them for their family day! About 85 of our families attended this event and enjoyed a day full of arts and crafts, storytelling, animal shows, and art. We were delighted to see our families enjoying the beautiful weather at the Getty!
Shout promoting education
In this image show students from our study hall and tutoring programs. We divide tables, with some students completing 30 minutes of tutoring before gym access while others stay after school for homework or socializing. Many see SHOUT as family, offering a safe space and guidance.
Promoting art among our teenagers
Arts & Color's inaugural meeting saw Cristina gather students for Briana's hands-on art class. They painted blank vinyl records with various brushes and colors. Subsequently, Mod Podge was applied for permanence. Many more art projects are in store!
First, THE BEST OF BROADWAY rehearsal! Actors met with some students; more will join later. This is a chance for theater enthusiasts and newcomers to try something new. They danced to In The Heights, breaking out of their comfort zones. Excitement for what's ahead!
Young people visiting China Town.
On April 14th, in Los Angeles, the first Salesian Youth Movement meeting in Boyle Heights occurred at Mary Help of Christians Youth Center.
Hosted by St. Bridget's parish, the event marked the start of a transformative journey. Around 40 leaders and students from local schools attended, aiming to connect, share, and dream big.
Our youth wrote a book - pictures for the cover page
we hosted a photo session for the talented young authors from Roosevelt High School's After School Program, part of the SHOUT initiative. These ten youths are crafting "Wind Walkers," a book delving into their personal journeys, showcasing the trials and triumphs that molded them into today's leaders.
We are getting ready for our leadership conference in June!
Salesian Family Youth Center leaders came together for a preparatory workshop at the St. Joseph Salesian Retreat House. It was a day filled with energy and commitment! Participating schools included St. John Bosco High School, Salesian High School Bishop Mora, and Don Bosco Tech, alongside parishes like St. Dominic Savio, St. Mary's, St. Isabel, and St. Bridget. This simultaneous workshop was held in various parts of Our Salesian Province, uniting hearts and minds for the future!
These are some of the activities that we do at teh SFYC, thank you so much for being part of our family! If you need any aditional information, please do not hesitate to contact JC Montenegro.
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