From Participants to Leaders, EBALDC’s Youth Program Offers Tweens & Teens the Opportunity to be Role Models for their Younger Neighbors

High over the East Bay, tweens and young teens practice responsibility and leadership, keeping an eye out for younger classmates on a trip beyond their East Oakland neighborhood.

“Young adults have credibility that adults don’t have. When youth are mentored by students a few years older, they pay attention and their ability and willingness to learn are enhanced,” said Michelle Sit, Senior Youth Program Manager.

Assuming responsibility for and leading younger classmates was clearly on display recently when K-5 students in the Lion’s Pride program went on a field trip to UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science. Besides their teachers, the K-5 students were chaperoned by older students from EBALDC’s Youth Empowerment Leadership Program (YELP) and Roaring Forward Internship Program.

The final field trip on the last day of summer camp – made possible by funding from the California Natural Resources Agency’s Youth Community Access Grant Program – was filled with discovery and free-form exploration in and about the museum’s numerous interactive displays. There was Pheena the (famous) fin whale, living animals inside and outside, and lots more to occupy young minds on the broad plazas overlooking the San Francisco Bay.

“For the tweens and young teens looking out for the younger students, it was a chance to take a break from their neighborhood and get out into the world,” said Michelle Sit. “Just coming up the hill to Lawrence Hall gave the kids a tour of Cal. We turned the bend, saw the view of the Bay and the bridges — they were amazed and in awe and wonder.” 

_{Xavia (11), Lion’s Pride student, had fun
learning why bubbles pop.} 

All student attendees come from Lion Creek Crossings, EBALDC’s largest affordable housing development in East Oakland’s Havenscourt neighborhood. Lion’s Pride alum and Youth Leader, Wisdom (12), said, “Most kids are from the same neighborhood. The best thing is to help kids and to make friends. When I was younger, I knew kids but didn’t talk to them. When I joined Lion’s Pride, we became friends since there was a chance to talk. We are still local friends in local schools.” 

A favorite memory of Lion’s Pride alum, Wisdom (12), from his younger days in the program, was making a big fizz with Elephant’s Toothpaste – combining Mentos candy, food coloring, chemicals, and Coca-Cola. 

Fall programming is coming up with a continued focus on STEM and STEAM learning. Comprehensive youth programming for the school year includes academic and Socio-Emotional Learning instruction as well as movement and hip-hop dance classes by Destiny Arts, coding for kids by Hidden Genius, and an art therapy-based mental health program led by Creative Health Services. Another important component of youth programming includes leadership development and academic/career readiness and exploration for older youth. Michelle says, “Our youth programming has a successful track record; we hit all our projections and, more importantly, build long-standing relationships with and solid experiences for LCC youth. Our outcome is high quality, and we’re a model program.” The end of the fall session will culminate in a showcase of art and hip-hop dance.

On the field trip, Gloria (14), a Lion’s Pride alum and Youth Leader, who is hoping to attend medical school and maybe become a teacher, said she “… just finished the Hidden Genius Summer Catalyst Program at LCC. I like to code. It was really fun, and the teachers are good, really nice and they help us to understand. We met at the Lion Creek Crossings community room for five days a week.” Not surprisingly, Gloria likes math. She finds it “easy to learn and kind of self-explanatory.” 

The tweens and young teens in YELP and Roaring Forward also help their younger counterparts with homework and participate in other forms of engagement, including a Teen Book Club started in 2019 by youth leader and local resident Da’Layjah Washington, a recipient of EBALDC’s Lynette Jung Lee Leadership Award. A tireless volunteer, she launched the book club as a youth leader to have fellow youth from the community read and get together.

_{Michael (15), a Lion’s Pride alum and Youth Leader, thinks he
will probably join the military in the future.}

Youth Coordinator, Maria Contreras, has “known most of the young teen students since they were much younger. They show up at the teen center by word of mouth. If they don’t have anything to do in summer, they come to me. Working at EBALDC Community Services,” she adds, “I wake up each morning knowing that I will make a difference in a youth’s life – with the comprehensive programming that we provide throughout the year.”  

Learn more about our grant from the California Natural Resources Agency!