Podcast #6: Meet the 826 Valencia Youth Advisory Board!

The YAB is an energetic squad of students aged fourteen to eighteen, representing different schools throughout the city, who have been an integral part of 826’s programs by acting as ambassadors to the schools and communities we serve. They meet twice a month to help with activities and planning, and to develop strategies for recruiting more students to take advantage of our free services.

The YAB:
• Organize and run youth-focused readings and events at 826.
• Support and attend fundraising events.
• Recruit high school students to attend our workshops, events, and activities.
• Support 826 Valencia’s tutors and interns during tutoring & workshops.
• Serve as liaisons to the community, schools, friends, and families.
• Offer presentations about 826 Valencia and the services we provide at their schools.

Listen to them here.

Podcast #5: The "Radio 101" workshop

In 826 Valencia's "Radio 101" workshop, we provided ten kids with the opportunity to reflect on growing up in San Francisco. We asked them to explore their relationships with friends and family, how they are shaping their identities, and what it's like to be a young person in our city.

Do you remember the first time you moved? Do you remember stepping outside the comfort of an accepted peer group? Do you remember taking physical and emotional risks? Why do we make connections with people in the world around us?

Listen in to what the kids have to say.

The 826 Valencia Podcast Episode 4

In this episode: Two students from Mission High School, Hile Lula and Danny Benitez, read their stories which were recently published by 826 Valencia in the magazine, The Mission High Magazine. Under the wing of 826 and Pirette McKamey, a language arts teacher at Mission High School, seniors were encouraged to write objectively on current, controversial topics. The result is a plethora of articles ranging from the politics of hair to global warming, Hurricane Katrina, body image, and dealing with romantic break ups. In the past year, all 122 of Ms. McKamey’s seniors were involved in the project. The issue is dedicated Jamar "Bear" Lake, a student who wrote an article in the issue on gang violence and was shot during the project’s final stages. Several students made podcasts of their work.

Listen to Hile Lula read her story, "Not Another Funeral"

Listen to Danny Benitez read his story, "Planetary Fever"

826 Valencia Podcast Episode 3

In this episode: We take you inside a recent workshop titled The Jazz Poets, a special collaboration between 826 Valencia and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Teachers Rob Kohler and singer/songwriter Maya Dorn, along with guest musicians Fred Harris and Ambrose Akinmusire, led students in a free-form, improvisational writing class. To start the class, students were treated to a series of recordings by Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg before being let loose with their own creations. What followed was a jam session of sorts between 10-13 year old poets and professional jazz musicians. According to teacher Rob Kohler, the class was about "music inspiring poetry and poetry inspiring music."

If you'd like to know more about workshops at 826, please visit: http://www.826valencia.org/workshops.

Listen to the 826 Valencia Podcast Episode 3.

The 826 Podcast Episode 2

In this episode: Wendy Sanchez reads her story, "La Siguanaba," from the 826 publication, Home Wasn't Built in a Day. Rheana Rios interviews the winner of Galileo High School's Slam Poetry competition. Marcus Lee interviews the founder of the Street Styles art class in San Francisco. Our host, Jonathan, shares some of his Whacked-Out Curiosities. This episode was the result of a workshop on the subject of podcasting at 826 by Paul Pryor Lorentz. Music in this episode by Ratatat.

Wendy Sanchez reading her story "La Siguanaba" from the 826 Valencia publication Home Wasn't Built in a Day

Rheana Rios interviewing Kat Ben-Hurchache

Jonathan Sit's Whacked-Out Curiosities

Marcus Lee interviewing the founder of the Street Styles, DAVe Warnke