We're one of the Top 5 Winners! |
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2020 Be The Difference Awards |
On October 21st at 12 p.m., Youth N.O.W. will be recognized as one of the top five recipients for the 2020 Be The Difference Awards! Hosted by the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz, this virtual event will honor 50 individuals, groups, non-profits, and businesses who transform our community through volunteerism.
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Volunteers are an integral asset to our organization and we would not be able to serve as many students as we do without their support. Our volunteers play an active role in engaging students in conversation and activities that help develop their self-confidence and self-efficacy. A few of our volunteers join us on site for tutoring or to assist with our morning pod but, the majority of them help our students with their homework virtually. |
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We currently have volunteers from the community, Twin Lakes Church, Volunteermatch and the Volunteer Center, Monte Vista Christian National Honor Society, CSUMB, UCSC, and USC. We are grateful to our volunteers for all the time and effort they put into serving the youth in our community! |
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A few words from our current volunteers: |
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"I first visited Youth N.O.W. [six] years back. I could see right away that for students who came here, Youth N.O.W. represents a island of tranquility in the midst of a hyperactive world. I could also sense the commitment and passion of the Youth N.O.W. staff, for whom the role was not a job but an act of love. I signed up to be a volunteer immediately." - Vijay |
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"When I first came to Youth N.O.W.. I was new to tutoring myself. It was wonderful to see that the staff truly cared and wanted to help the children however they could. It was also very heartening to see that the kids that came were very self motivated and were very attentive and appreciative of my efforts to help them. All of this is still true, and that is what keeps bringing me back here." - Shaila |
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"One of the major reasons I became a volunteer was that being around our youth keeps me humble and young. Each person is a unique individual who, when properly supported, will become an engaging and compassionate leader... regardless of where they may find themselves." - Glenn |
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Thank you so much for all the immeasurable valuable work that you do! Whether you have been with us for years or are new to our organization, we hope you know how appreciative we are of your decision to aid us in serving our local youth. We look forward to when we can safely reunite and learn in a communal setting once more. |
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Are YOU looking for a way to give back? |
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If you have ever thought about volunteering, NOW is the time! Whether it be in person or virtually, YOU can make a difference in the life of a student by providing academic support and mentorship. Sign-up today! |
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We currently have 110 middle and high school students enrolled in our program. This number is going to keep growing and we need your help! If you can't donate your time but would still like to support our services, consider making a monetary donation. |
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All funds will go directly towards sustaining our tutoring services and our morning pod. Our morning pod serves as a safe and supportive space for our youth who do not have an adult guardian at home to assist them with distance learning. At Youth N.O.W., students have access to adult mentors, home cooked meals, recreation and art activities. All of our services are free and this is only made possible by our funders and generous donors.
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MS & HS Student of the Month |
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Vianca Tavera
7th grade
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts
Vianca Tavera came to Youth N.O.W. during our 2020 Summer Program. She had such a positive experience that she made sure she was the first student to be signed up for our Fall 2020 program. Her kind spirit, positive attitude, and constant effort has earned her our very first student of the month for this school year! Not only is Vianca always on time and ready to learn for every tutoring session, when our learning center coordinator suggested adding an extra day for tutoring she had the wisdom to agree. During her tutoring sessions, Vianca makes sure she is listening attentively to her tutor so they know they are respected and appreciated. When Vianca is not at Youth N.O.W. she enjoys singing and dancing while making videos for TikTok. Vianca’s dream is to become a resource teacher for kids with autism. We are so proud to have you be a part of the Youth N.O.W. family Vianca!
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Miguel Fernandez
10th grade
Watsonville High School
Miguel Fernandez has been selected as our student of the month! Miguel has been with Youth N.O.W. for a little over a month but, in that short amount of time we have seen how strong his academic dedication is. David, his tutor, says, “Miguel has become more responsible over his short time with us. He is serious about his schoolwork. When you get to know him he is goofy, nice, kind, and determined.” His commitment to showing up makes him a wonderful role model to all our students. Miguel can either be found at our internet café working on schoolwork or on the blacktop playing basketball with his younger sister. When Miguel graduates high school he hopes to pursue a career as a car mechanic. His favorite part of the program is that he is able to receive incentives, such as gift cards, to help motivate him for completing assignments. We are very excited to see what Miguel accomplishes next!
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What our students have to say: |
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“I look forward to Youth N.O.W. to see all my friends that I made and to learn new things” - Vianca |
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“Youth N.O.W is an amazing tutoring place!” - Miguel |
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