By Hidden Villa | Youth Development Team
The GROW Youth Leadership Program is a partnership Hidden Villa has established with Downtown College Prep (DCP), located in Alum Rock, San Jose where students are 98% Latino and 90% low-income. 41% of parents have less than a high school education and 4% of parents have a college degree, while 95% of DCP students are matriculated in colleges around the country after graduation.
The goal of this partnership with DCP is to get youth out of their everyday life; having new experiences and building intergenerational community in a learning environment that promotes personal agency, social justice and environmental stewardship.
This past year, DCP students joined us at three different points, building team morale on the high and low ropes course, fostering compassion through farm and animal care, and increasing courage and confidence on day and night hikes. “I liked when we had our groups and worked together to feed the chickens and milk the cow.” Another student told us, “After Hidden Villa, I try more new things, even if I’m scared.” It is a success when students take risks, challenge themselves to try new experiences, and work collaboratively to achieve their goals. During the 2015-2016 school year we will continue and grow this program with both a Leadership and a Science overnight retreat.
Offering youth opportunities that buttress their academic knowledge with hands-on life experiences is crucial to their ability to be agents of change in our community. “Hidden Villa gave me the courage to come out of my comfort zone and taught me to try to be a leader. I now feel confident to help people and to encourage them when they aren’t having such a good day.” We are excited to partner with you to create experiences for our local youth that serve them as whole students, preparing them for their future and our shared future as a community.
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