Youth N.O.W. | February 2021
Our Services Are Back!
Spring semester has begun and our staff and volunteers are back to virtually supporting our middle and high school youth! There were smiles and laughter on both ends of the Zoom call as students reconnected with their tutors and some met for the first time. With the start of another virtual learning semester, our students have expressed a mix of emotions and uncertainties. Although we don't always have all the answers to their questions, our staff and volunteer tutors are committed to showing up for our youth and being those caring adult mentors they can depend on.
The majority of students are paired one-on-one with a tutor but, we have also begun to incorporate more group tutoring for students who have similar classes. Our students have enjoyed the chance to socialize with other youth and this has allowed us to serve more students as we are currently at full capacity with a growing wait list. So, if you know of any great people who would do an awesome job at tutoring, mentoring, and just being someone a middle or high school student can count on, please send them our way! :)
We're happy to announce that our weekly Basketball Clinic's and twice monthly Family Saturday Events are back! These events are fun ways for families to safely reconnect as they engage in activities like biking, hiking, art, and workshops around nutrition and education. We’ll be kicking off our first Saturday event this weekend (2/13) with SPECTRA artist, Nessa, who will be guiding our families through a bilingual watercolor lesson!

Follow/like our social media accounts to stay up to date on upcoming events:
Students of the Month
Michael - 7th Grade
Cesar Chavez Middle School

Michael and his mom say, “Thanks to Youth N.O.W., Michael has been developing his studying skills.”
Michael’s enthusiasm and endeavor to improve his grades have earned him the title of Student of the Month! Like many students, Michael had a hard time transitioning to distance learning, but he has been making great improvements academically by attending regular tutoring sessions and prioritizing his studies. He is funny and almost always has a positive attitude even when completing challenging assignments. Michael is in the process of learning the different ways to manage his time effectively, as a result of trial and error, he now prepares before tutoring sessions by completing the easier tasks by himself then completing the harder assignments with his tutor Sara. Over his time together with his tutor, his writing and reading skills have improved as well due to his efforts of reading and learning the grammar rules. Michael enjoys playing basketball and enjoys spending his free time with his mom and little sister. Congratulations Michael!
Alejandro - 9th Grade
Watsonville High School

Alejandro has been selected as our high school Student of the Month for February! Virtual learning has been a difficult transition for Alejandro, just like it has been for many of our students, but the start of the new year has lit a fire in Alejandro to give it his all and do whatever it takes to have a successful semester. Alejandro never turns down the opportunity to work with our amazing tutors, participate in our Saturday events, and even shoot hoops with Coach Bobo! “I met new people that were positive influences on my life, [people] who help you with your needs--not just homework,” says Alejandro about his time at Youth N.O.W.  A freshman at Watsonville High, Alejandro can be found taking care of his 6 dogs and 16 birds when not in school. When he grows up, he hopes to study at Cal Poly SLO to fulfill his dream of becoming an architect. His dedication and commitment to his studies has earned him this award and we have no doubt that these same qualities will allow him to reach his dream. Congratulations Alejandro!
A few ways to support our students:
Upcoming Events:
No School / Youth N.O.W. Closed for President's Day
Mon., Feb. 15th
Basketball Clinic with Coach Bobo
Every Mon. & Wed. from 4-5pm
at 31 Carr St.
Youth N.O.W.'s 11th Birthday!
Tues., Feb, 23rd
Family Bike Day with
Community Bike Collective
Sat., Feb. 27th from 10am-12pm
at 31 Carr St. *Bikes and helmets will be provided*
Thank you!