YAC May 8th meeting: Changes for next year

Participants: Josh, Chandler, Elizabeth

WHY YAC? We are a group with the mission to serve and motivate others to serve. We are going to try for one more year to inspire people to serve. If we are not successful, STUCO will assume YAC responsibilities. We will have a default STUCO officer in YAC. Josh suggested a YAC officer to attend STUCO meetings. He will consult with Mr. Pena.

The responsibility of the Service-Learning office, the director and YAC director have changed.

a. No updated files, no reflection, only site supervisor evaluation needed to certify hours: There will not be required reflection of service projects. Parents and students will not longer receive an updated file of student's service work. They will only receive yearly update of hours certified. Students are responsible only of bringing a site supervisor evaluation stating number of hours served. Students may use the form available on the internet or provide the form the organization gives volunteers for the purpose of hours served verification. The requirement is still only 45 hours. Students have until graduation to complete their requirement.


1. No home groups or site visits. Home group facilitators developed great personal relationships with some members of their groups, but only a few attendend site visits. Why did YAC fail to inspire freshmen to attend site visits?
Next year, YAC members will facilitate and motivate students to attend Saturday service opportunities set at Habitat for Humanity (Casady wants to build a house. The cost of building a house is 70,000 of which we are responsible of raising a minimum of $20,000). YAC is also responsible for indirect contact projects with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. YAC members will facilitate and pump people to volunteer on Saturdays at the Food Bank. Mrs. Clay will be on site on Saturdays and will take off a day a week, when she spends her time supervising projects on Saturdays. Elizabeth volunteered to facilitate the Food Bank project next year.

Individual projects and YAC service opportunities will be encouraged, but fundraising will come from grants not from out of uniform ocassions unless approved by the Student Council. We will promote possibilities within the school and around our immediate community. We hope to still have YAC projects such as Pinwheels for Peace-Pennies for Peace, Challenge 20/20-Hunger: Casady Cans Do-Walk the World, Global Warming-Aluminun water bottles, Project Ignition, and YAC work with organizations of special interest to YAC officers and members. The organization and interest will change as the YAC students change.

YAC students will be resources for teachers integrating "social action" in their curriculum.

YAC students will also be expected to help the team of teachers and community partners facilitating their class meetings once every six day cycle.

1. Freshman Study Skills: Life Prep 101 (Study and life Skills, personal and social responsibilit): 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Lions Quest Skills For Action, and Six Billion Paths to Peace

2. Sophomore Internship Program: Community Prep 101: How our community works. What professions are needed. Letter and resume writing, job interviews, application for summer internships, job fair. Community Partners: Leadership Oklahoma City, Center for Non-profits, Shinnyo-En Foundation, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Junior Achievement, Sim City, Key leader training

3. Junior Thinking tank and leadership program

4. Senior College Counseling Program: College Application Process
Mrs. Clay has requested a STUCO officer to be a default YAC officer. Caitlin Britt has demonstrated how powerful a direct connection to STUCO can be for a service project to be part of the culture of the school.

2009-2010 YAC NEXT MEETING: Will be facilited by Josh, Chandler and Elizabeth. Mrs. Clay recommended using Roberts Rules of order.

1. What worked? What did not? why?

2. What do we want AND NEED to change to improve?

3. Who wants to do what and when?

4. How will we know we are using "our minds well" to inspire, facilitate, engage and motivate?

THERE ARE SIX BILLION PATHS TO PEACE. WHAT IS YOURS?



WHY SIX BILLION PATHS TO PEACE?
It sees every act of service done with loving kindness as an act towards peace.
It sees service as de-stressor.
It celebrates volunteerism and service-learning.
Its goal is to bring harmony, inner peace and world peace through service.
The Shinnyo-en Foundation provides support both financial and simple, quick, effective and creative reflective activities.