Buena Vista mentors and mentees in Youth In Action celebrate the year
Youth In Action, middle school youth mentoring pre-school children, culminated last week with a potluck dinner celebration for youth and their families. Youth In Action is held Mondays after school in Buena Vista and Wednesdays after school in Salida and includes reading, crafts, field trips, and guest speakers. This year, our theme was “Around the World” and each month focused on a story from a different culture. In addition to stories from our home country, we also “visited” Guatemala, China, the region of West Africa, and Afghanistan. Activities included making a pinata, learning Tai Chi, making masks, doing African drumming and dancing, making friendship bracelets and photo frames, and visiting a local farm.
At each celebration, we honored our matches, especially noting our matches of the month, our peer leaders, and those who had awesome attendance (missing no more than one meeting the entire year). All pre-schoolers received a special book from their mentor, including a personalized note written on the inside. We are incredibly proud of our 12 Buena Vista matches and our 11 Salida matches and the connections they have made with each other, with reading, and with their community this year.
The response from our parents has affirmed these connections: One parent of a pre-schooler said, “My daughter used to say she never wanted to grow up. Now she wants to be just like her teenage mentor.” Another pre-school parent notes about her daughter that, “she learned to love reading and sits and reads her books independently and to her sister.” A parent of a middle schooler said, “My child learned. . . how he can better himself to help other people.” Finally, another pre-school parent said, “the activities are well rounded and provide opportunities to the children to experience things they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.”
We are grateful to all our parents for their support and the delicious dishes they brought to the potlucks. Over 60 family members attended the celebration at the BV Community Center on Monday and over 40 came to the Salida Middle School on Wednesday. Thanks also to Punky’s Diner in Buena Vista for their yummy BBQ pork, to the Salida Middle School for helping make the dinner happen so easily, and to Salida Tool and Equipment Rental for their support.
The celebration and thank you to our middle school mentors continued last Saturday with a trip to Elitch Gardens in Denver. The eighteen youth who attended this mentor appreciation activity enjoyed the rides and getting to know the mentors from the other town.