Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

MOLAA Family Art Day 2012




By: Mark Marano, After School Operations Director
“This was the best day ever!”, exclaimed seven year-old Akemi Nakachi.  On Saturday, May 19th, she and over 200 other families from the various programs of the Community Development branch participated in our first YMCA Family Art Day at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). Through our collaboration with MOLAA, Community Development planned a free, fun-filled morning of art exploration for the community. The event consisted of ten staff and volunteer-led arts-related workshops including: artistic science, perspective and depth, printmaking, crafts, origami, jewelry making, mask making, rain-stick making, and book making. In addition, families were treated to guitar demonstrations and instruction as well as high-energy Zumba classes. The event also included of a film festival showcasing films created by our Youth Institute participants and a Get Connected! Technology Fair, complete with an interactive, self-contained technology bus equipped with all the bells and whistles to provide computer literacy classes for families. Lastly, families were invited to join the museum’s membership program at a discounted rate and were offered complimentary bilingual gallery tours, exploring current exhibits. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Fresh & Easy and Albertsons (both located in downtown’s CityPlace for their generous supply donations. Through community collaboration, we were able to provide an engaging arts-filled morning for the families we serve to connect, learn, and have fun!


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Youth Institute Alumni Grand Canyon Trip 2012


This past spring break, 29 staff and youth made the journey to one of the seventh wonders of the world - GRAND CANYON National Park. It was an experience that all will not forget. We hiked the South Rim, toured the Visitor's Center, sang songs around the campfire and experienced a spring shower & hail storm. The nights in the canyon where amazing with all the stars in the sky - that sight only surpassed by the sunrise and sunset on the South Rim. Check out the photos of our stay at the Grand Canyon HERE