Support and Empower Young Leaders

This Week in Youth Development (November 13 – 19)

The arrival of fall brought a special opportunity to a group of thirty-six Crystal Springs Uplands students who came to Hidden Villa in mid-November. They assisted in Hidden Villa’s annual olive harvest alongside our hard-working farm crew and a large group of volunteers. Initial estimates put us at over a ton of olives! After a morning of hard work, the students participated in Youth Development’s Cesar Chavez Living Legacy program. Students examined farm worker conditions in the 1960’s and participated a town hall meeting where they roleplayed different stakeholders in the farm workers’ rights debate. The day culminated with an interactive timeline highlighting landmark events in the battle for farm workers’ rights, which was spearheaded by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Larry Itliong.

At the end of the program Crystal Springs’ students voiced their newfound appreciation for the extensive labor behind the foods we eat. Many were surprised to learn that the roughly 2,000 pounds of olives they helped harvest would be pressed into only 20 gallons of olive oil. Furthermore, they expressed empathy for the struggles many of our fellow California residents have endured in the past and present day.

Later in the week, Hidden Villa excitedly welcomed our first-ever group from Menlo Atherton High School. Their 9^th grade Evolutionary Ecology class experienced all that our farm and wilderness had to offer and challenged themselves on the high ropes course. The group, initially shy and reserved, opened up as our Youth Development staff facilitated team-building and nature exploration. As with all of our programs, we ended the day with a closing circle to share memorable experiences and appreciations. As we gathered together, every student shared their favorite memory from the day and one thing they were grateful for at that moment. It was fulfilling, as a facilitator, to witness the groups’ growth in a short five-hour day.