YDA Session One, Day Eight

Here's another peek at camp from counselor James Petitfuls:

If every day is a great day at YDA, then today was a Bomb-diggidy, badically awesome day (pardon the technical jargon)!!!  After yesterday’s classroom learning and growing with PATH4TEENS, the students were anxious to get outside and burn up some of their seemingly infinite energy.



Thus, for the first half of the day today the students were given the choice between a soccer workshop and a basketball workshop.  Brook Wendorff, who has both played soccer and has taught it in camp settings, skillfully and energetically led the students in the soccer clinic while Sean Van Gundy (our fearless leader) “took us to school” on the courts!

I (James Petitfils) and my lucky headband went with the basketball team and we had an absolute blast! After running a number of drills we played a game called “Numbers” in which each team had about 24 players and the students each had a chance to contribute to the ongoing basketball game only as their numbers were called (thus they were able to rest and cheer for their team when their number was not called).

This twist on basketball both added a neat team-building component to the game and I’m pretty sure it saved me from heat stroke.  Finally, we broke the basketball groups up into two sections:  1) those more serious about basketball and 2) those less serious about basketball.  Naturally I joined the latter group but was still “juked-out” multiple times.  As they say, I just don’t “have game.”



What continues to amaze me and the other counselors about YDA is the fact that the students from all different backgrounds, ages, etc. continue to get along so well.  This group really values sharing, teamwork, and caring for one another.  I’m not just saying this to make them look good—I’m totally serious!

One of my highlights was watching Eric, a younger member of my team as well as a student who has not yet hit his growth spurt, sink almost every one of his shots to win first place out of 40 students in one of our basketball competitions.  Not only this, but when he was playing with other students, he would get almost every rebound, dart down the court, and then pass it to another student so that he or she could make the shot.  Wow!!! This young man has a bright future and is already making our world a better place!



After sports, we went to a surprisingly entertaining presentation about going to college hosted by one of Cal State Dominguez Hills’ outstanding representatives.  The students learned practical steps toward preparing for college while in J.H. and High School.

I have no doubt that the combination of the students’ new familiarity with a college campus (i.e. Dominguez Hills where YDA takes place) and this inspiring and tangible interactive lecture about college will remove some of the social and psychological barriers placed before a student who may be the first one in his or her family to consider going to college.

As the counselors watched the no doubt hot and boisterous 1 p.m. busses leave camp today we didn’t just send another group of excited teenagers on their way; we said goodbye to the future leaders of Los Angeles.  I can’t wait for tomorrow!

YDA Session One, Day Seven

The students were back working with PATH4TEENS, and today they saw how they could take control of their lives and move toward the future they want.

During the first half of they day, kids developed a mission statement for themselves using the core values they'd identified last week.



These weren't throwaway statements. Each student filled in blanks with their core values and then stood and recited the mission. Students came up with powerful desires. Just a few were to "accept, believe and brighten education in myself and others," "allow, improve and appreciate respect in myself and others" and " teach, appreciate and encourage growth in myself and others."

Before the next exercise, the students needed to blow off a little steam. A game of tag looked like a mass of middle-schooler energy bouncing around a field.



Back inside, the students were again working with Shannell McMillan to develop a direction for their lives.

Since they identified the core values of their life, the next step was for the students to project where they wanted to go with them. For the next half our or so, they described what they wanted to be ten years in the future.

Whether it was graduating from USC or UCLA, being a pediatrician, nurse, boxer or soccer player, almost all the visions had two common themes: high aspirations and family and caring for family.

Shannell working with students on their mission statements

"It's a powerful experience for me to see them capture their heart and hear it come out of their mouths," Shannell said. Earlier in the day, she shared her mission to "ignite the pursuit of purpose in everyone I meet."

In her two days working with the YDA students, she was an example of how to live out her mission.

YDA Session One, Day Six

The kids capped off the first day of the second week with this year's newest smash broadway hit:

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This was one of the skits each team put on after a day of team-building and theater activities. After half an hour of brainstorming, the students performed gem after gem.

Before that, they warmed up the creative side of their brains by taking surprise props and coming up with micro improv scene with them on the spot.



But team-building was the other theme of the day. Before their skits, the teams made their way across a field, stepping only on the paper plates they had to pass from person to person because they had one fewer plate than the number of people in their group.

Step on the grass and you have to start over. Leave a plate unattended and you head back to the beginning.



The day was for bonding and building interpersonal skills. And by the end of the day, the students were more than individuals, they became a team.

YDA Session One, Day Five

Students exercised their art muscle today before hopping in the pool on the wrap-up day of the first week of the YDA.

Through the morning, students split up into three groups and worked on art pieces where they made paint stamps and adorned their own notebooks, to name just a couple of projects.



But at 11 a.m. the kids knew exactly what was coming, and they jumped in with both feet.



On a hot day like today, anyone would be excited about a pool, but part of the reason the kids are so anxious to get to it is a good number of them don't have the chance very often.

Nick Temple is a Harbor Gateway resident who worked with ShareFest at this year's Workday. He often teaches swimming at camps for inner-city and underprivileged kids, and this year, he decided to do the same for the YDA kids.

"Not many of these kids get the opportunity to even jump in a pool," he said. For that reason, many of them aren't comfortable in the water, but Nick is there to make them feel at home with a few basic lessons.

Nick shows a student how to keep his legs straight when kicking.

Nick said by the end of the day, when he's  playing "sharks and minnows" with the kids in the pool, it's an rewarding experience to see this kids experience something special.

The minnows trying to escape Nick

"It's the coolest feeling," he said.

Of course, there's also the kids that feel right at home in the water, or 10 feet above it.



Nick said he sees the same pattern with kids at a lot of camps like the YDA when they start getting comfortable and bonding with each other and counselors. "The first day they're there, they're  crying because they're homesick. The last day they're there, they're crying because they don't want to leave."

There are plenty more awesome swimming pictures to check out, so take a look on our flickr account, here.

YDA Session One, Day Four

Thanks to Tom Drury for this inside look:

Today, the nonprofit Just One engaged students to think about their communities and how they can be instruments of change in their own neighborhoods.

Students had time to share some ideas with their counselors in response to questions such as: “why should I care about my community?” And “what are my dreams?”

Many of the kids shared their goals to be doctors, actors, teachers, or athletes, and all of them seemed challenged to think about how they could use their gifts to make their community a better place.



The students also learned about a service project called the Laundry Love Project, which pays for impoverished members of communities to do their laundry and builds relationships with those that come to the Laundromats.

The students were able to help out with this organization by filling bags of detergent and writing encouraging and uplifting notes to those doing their laundry. Instead of just hearing about what they can do for communities in need, they were able to actually do it and experience the sense of accomplishment it brings.

This first half of the day was highlighted by a dance competition between the different “crews.” Students were cheered on by their team members as they showcased their dance moves and battled each other.

The second half of the day, students were able to escape the heat by a refreshing time in the pool. Students who passed the swim test were able to enjoy jumping into the pool off the high dive, and regulation diving boards. Of course, belly flops and back flips were in order.



Other students were given introductory lessons in swimming, after which one returning student mentioned to me, “All it took was one lesson by Brooke, and some confidence given to me by Richard (two counselors) and I was able to pass the test for the first time.”

We were all touched by one particular student, Khalon who embodied the definition of perseverance in his swim test.

The test consisted of swimming from one end of the pool to the other and then pushing yourself out of the pool on the other side. Khalon made the swim without any problem, but when it came to pushing himself out, he just couldn’t seem to get himself out of the pool.

Counselors worked with Khalon, coaching him and cheering him on for more than twenty minutes.

After trying and trying so hard many people including myself, would have been too exhausted and defeated to give any more effort, but not Khalon.

Finally, exhausted Khalon sat on the edge of the pool, seeming to work out his own game plan on how he would get out of the pool. He working up the energy to give one last push.

With the counselors and other students cheering him on, Khalon gave his last ounce of energy and pushed himself out of the pool, making a beeline for the high dive.

The smile on his face was well earned as he cannon balled into the pool from 12 feet up.

Khalon showed us all an amazing lesson in perseverance and determination that will not be soon forgotten.

I guarantee that boy will sleep well tonight, both from the satisfaction of his accomplishment, and the great effort put forth to persevere and succeed in his goals.