Navigator May 2023 Newsletter 2023 Visionaries Propelling youth forward through empowerment and opportunity Cheers to the Visionaries cohorts of 2023 May 2023 saw the culmination of both cohorts wrapping up their programs and finishing up their civic engagement projects which for the 2023 Visionaries focused on equity community and environmental sustainability The San Jos cohort with youth referred by Opportunity Youth Academy s campuses and staff committed themselves to putting together care bags for unhoused youth These care bags included a variety of critical items such as soap wipes toothbrushes toothpaste feminine care products hand warmers socks a journal and a first aid kit Most items were biodegradable as the cohort wanted to also ensure the environ mental sustainability of the project EYP partnered with the Bill Wilson Drop In Center located in Downtown San Jos to distribute the care bags to young people that come to the center for services including shelter food mental health services and critical care support For EYP s Visionaries such a partner is vital to the community as housing insecurity childcare and a lack of access to mental health resources are three of the most common barriers that have lead youth to becoming disconnected and unable to pursue ongoing education or careers
ENVISION Your Pathway Civic Engagement Youth Designed Youth Led In the Peninsula the 49ers Academy cohort spotlighted their campus community and school with a project that involved a campus clean up and the planting of their own cohort garden The group cleaned up large amounts of litter charcoal and ash filling 6 large garbage bags before they laid fresh soil and planted sustainable plants and seeds After the winter storms damaged several trees and plants on campus this project was of particular importance to the cohort For them it felt like a legacy project that they can revisit for years to come 2023 49ers Academy Cohort Logos PATIENCE GR OW M TH D IN SE T MAKING MISTAKES HELPS YOU GROW Navigator Newsletter May 2023
ENVISION Your Pathway EYP Pathways Helping Visionaries navigate the pathways ahead by Paul Zapata Now in its second year of partnership EYP has been working with the 49ers Academy at Menlo Atherton High School for most of the school year The cohort of students called Visionaries join EYP s program with the purpose of discovering and exploring new careers EYP supports youth down a path they choose to pursue as well as enhances and builds critical skills Throughout the year we meet in the classroom where EYP facilitates its curriculum supports youth as they develop dynamic skills and plan their civic engagement projects Aside from the work that is done on campus EYP strives to create in person opportunities for the Visionaries for a more engaging experience such as guest speakers civic engagement activities and even trips off campus The 49ers Academy and EYP arranged a trip that would expose Visionaries to new possible pathways new opportunities and fun activities which leads us to the May 20th Aviation Day at San Francisco International Airport hosted by Alaska Airlines Aviation Day was amazing The Visionaries loved it It was also a new experience for all of us Youth and participants were introduced to a variety of careers that are all involved with the airline industry Attendees had the opportunity to explore and talk to professionals such as pilots the aircraft crew the San Francisco Police Department the San Francisco Fire Department SFO Transportation Security Administration TSA and air traffic controllers They learned about career pathways internship opportunities and so much more A special thanks to Bobby and his colleagues from the Air Traffic Control Tower for giving us a very detailed description of what they do in their jobs how they contribute and what they do on a daily basis It was evident how proud and happy Bobby and his team were to share their careers and even discussed step by step how to start a similar career trajectory so Visionaries could do the same someday They were very enthusiastic funny and just awesome people Continued on next page Navigator Newsletter May 2023
ENVISION Your Pathway EYP Pathways Helping Visionaries navigate the pathways ahead by Paul Zapata Continued from previous page As Visionaries learned about careers at Aviation Day and talked to professionals we entered an airplane and once we took our seats the pilot informed us about aviation and its history Afterwards we moved forward to enter the cockpit and we were able to sit inside exactly where the pilot sits when the plane is being flown Once we entered the cockpit and sat down we talked to a second pilot An interesting anecdote that this pilot shared was that he didn t pursue this career until the age of 31 Before that he was a boat mechanic One day he decided to become a pilot and now there he is sitting in a cockpit We asked him additional questions such as how the buttons work anything we were curious about and even how to control the plane A fun fact the pilot shared is that when the plane is on the ground pilots steer the plane using their feet to maneuver it Visionaries were also able to enter the luggage area of the plane enter a fire truck sit on a police motorcycle turn on the sirens and speak into the PA System Public Address System All in all there were many exciting experiences that Visionaries had that don t happen everyday To wrap up thank you to Alaska Airlines the volunteers staff and airport personnel for making Aviation Day possible and a day to remember The Visionaries had an amazing time and were truly inspired Navigator Newsletter May 2023
ENVISION Your Pathway Year 3 Impact 2022 2023 Year YOUTH AGES 15 22 YEARS OLD 100 LOW INCOME YOUTH 100 OF YOUTH SERVED ARE OPPORTUNITY YOUTH FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS OR YOUTH FACING MASSIVE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND ONGOING EDUCATION 60 YOUTH SERVED 98 YOUTH OF COLOR Navigator Newsletter May 2023