A busy beginning...
We have started off the programming year with a bang! Beginning with our orientation retreat in August we welcomed new eleventh grade fellows into the Fellowship and twelfth grade Bridgers into their second year. Fellows and Bridgers have been busy attending skill-building sessions, committee meetings, hearing from our alumni, and joining together for team building and bonding activities. Read more below and check out some photo highlights of the year so far!
Spotlight on....
Cultural eye
By Victoria Andre
Victoria is a Junior at Midwood High School
When I applied for the Cultural Eye Committee I thought it would simply be a photography class. However, it is so much more than that. It isn’t just about a group of people taking pictures. With each monthly session I have been able to truly learn the art of photography while also learning the correlation to important issues like culture, identity, diversity etc.
In my opinion, the discussion we had about diversity had the most impact on me. During that conversation we discussed how New York City consists of people of all different walks of life, races, religions etc.. Yet at the same time we felt/discussed how New York is still very segregated, especially in high school. We discussed how everyone is not equally represented in New York City high schools. As well as how some of us have been around the same people for most of our high school journeys. We all really enjoyed that conversation because it was a reminder as to why most of us wanted to be a part of Youthbridge-NY. We each wanted a getaway from school where we could be a part of a diverse group of people to learn, grow and possibly gain future friendships.
However, aside from conversations, one thing that makes the committee really special is the work we do outside of the Youthbridge office. The take home assignments we do vary depending on the objective behind the photos we take. The best part is when we post them on the Flickr app and present it during our monthly meeting. It’s very therapeutic and emotional for some of us when we present and have discussions because some of the photos we take have a lot of emotion behind them. However, everyone is very understanding and we are able to receive mutual feedback that will help each of us grow as photographers. I’ve had quite a lot of fun being able to take the pictures that I take. I also take pride in them because they are a reflection of me. Some of them also tell a story and I find that to be very powerful. Being a part of the Cultural Eye Committee truly has taught me that a picture does say so much more than a thousand words.
Bridger Round table
By Rachel Gorman-Cooper
At the Youthbridge round table, I learned important life skills and acquired new resources to which I didn’t have access before.
At one table, I learned how to conduct a proper interview; I should bring a notebook, study facts about the company and its competitors and core values beforehand, and follow up after the interview the day of. The next table taught me the importance of making a brand for oneself through social media, and utilizing networks such as LinkedIn. I also learned about how to write a proper cover letter and to constantly update my resumè but keep the old ones in a file.
This workshop is valuable to me as a young person, but also as someone with many goals and strong drive. It’s crucial that throughout our lifetime, people organize their goals and make connections with the people they meet who can help them achieve such goals. I would strongly recommend future bridgers to take advantage of this workshop.
The Youth are the future of the world
By Ayal Smith
The Youth are the future of the world. If so, then we need to learn how to be the future leaders. The skill building workshops we have are teaching us exactly that. We live in a city with so many people form different backgrounds, experiences, ethnicities, and more. We’re also in an ever changing and growing world, where inclusivity and acceptance is more important than ever.
In our sessions, we focus on a range of things. Some include learning the best way to handle situations we might find ourselves in. We did an exercise where we each took turns on how we would diffuse an argument whilst trying to make everyone satisfied. Each person did it their own way, and I got to learn different techniques for when mine fails. In another workshop, we were given a crash course in marketing from a successful professional. She taught us that it’s important to use our creativity and focus on the best way to succeed, while also thinking of how we can be most inclusive to everyone. For one project we were put into groups to think of how we would market a specific item to different audiences. Our groups were diverse, with each individual bringing their own ideas and knowledge of communities to the table. I learned so much form my fellow peers when we discussed what spoke to certain people, and what didn’t to others.
Diversity, Kindness, and Leadership. These are things we need in order to be compassionate, understanding, and successful adults. The workshops we have are teaching us exactly that, and with these skills, Youth-bridge is setting us up to be the future leaders of the world.
Winter retreat at Dave and Buster’s
On Sunday, January 13, YouthBridge-NY teens enjoyed a day of arcade and video games at Dave and Buster’s! Everyone braved the winter weather to enjoy a Sunday afternoon together. Fellows and Bridgers were given a playing card with unlimited games and credits to play each game in Dave and Buster's. It was so fun to see the teamwork to win and friendly competition! Check out some photos below!
