Special Events | American Youthworks

Youth Power at American YouthWorks

On November 4, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Charter School, General News, Special Events, By devintern

On November 2, Margarine G. Beaman, Board President of American YouthWorks, kicked off the Youth Power series. Youth Power, which was started by Margarine, is a program designed to help young women stay in school and runs for the entire school year. Monthly, a group of 20 juniors and seniors, who start and complete the program together, attend a workshop focused on teaching key life skills such as goal setting, prioritizing, job searching, leadership development, managing personal finance and applying for college. In addition, each young woman will identify career interests and do a job shadowing day.

At the kickoff workshop, guest speaker Sgt. Felicia Williams-Dennis, of the City of Austin Police Department, served as an example of how prioritizing and goal setting could help the young women overcome obstacles to their education.

The Austin Capitol City Business Women sponsors Youth Power. Mary Kastl, business owner, will speak at the next workshop. If you would be interested in speaking or attending one of the events, contact Margarine G. Beaman at ole050@hotmail.c om or 512-921-1625.

Art Corps volunteers with local sculptor

On October 5, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Charter School, General News, Service Learning Academy, Special Events, Volunteering, By Rachel Matvy

This Friday, Art Corps will volunteer to help with a larger than life, reclaimed materials sculpture that is part of a community wide volunteer effort. The vision for this piece came from George Sabra, an internationally recognized, Austin-based sculptor who works exclusively with discarded materials, has had works displayed in the Vatican and was featured in National Geographic Magazine. Art Corps will have the opportunity to work with this artist on the 21 foot high sculpture made from 25,000-30,000 plastic caps, which will be displayed outside at City Hall during Austin’s Green City Festival.

The Art Corps program at American YouthWorks seeks to teach young people the “art of living” by inspiring them to be good stewards of the world around them. This project is a perfect learning opportunity for Art Corps members as they will participate in creating a sculpture designed to increase awareness of the natural environment and inspire people to take action. In addition, by working with a professional artist who started with a vision, created a plan and saw the plan through to fruition, they will gain a greater understanding the process of realizing their own visions of getting a high school diploma, planning for college or getting that perfect, high wage job.

The sculpture will be unveiled at 2:00 PM during the Austin Green City Festival on October 23^rd. Many groups are helping with the volunteer effort. You can get involved by coming to the unveiling, helping the artist prepare the caps or collecting plastic caps from peanut butter jars, Gatorade drinks, jelly jars, mayonnaise jars, etc. For more information, see the website for the sculpture.

Tagged with: art • art class • art in public places • austin • austin art • austin events • Austin Green Fest • Austin Green Festival • george sabra • green fest • local art • local events • sculpture • service • volunteering

Casa Verde Builders Home Featured in Cool House Tour

On May 17, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By Rachel Matvy

The American YouthWorks’ (AYW) home, built by participants of Casa Verde Builders (CVB), at 6911 Villita Avenida, Austin, TX is one of 16 homes that is being featured in the 2011 Cool House Tour and is unique in that is was built by at-risk youth for low income, first time homebuyers. The Tour will take place on June 5 and is organized by the Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) in conjunction with Austin Energy Green Building. We would like to thank the TXSES for selecting our CVB house and the proud owners who are opening their home to approximately 1,000 visitors that day.

Participants of the CVB program of AYW learn cutting-edge, green construction techniques by building energy efficient homes from foundation to finish while earning their high school diploma or GED and money for post-secondary education. This award-winning program is proven to produce higher academic performance and consistent attendance for its participants by removing barriers to education and providing hands-on applications for course material. Each participant earns a bi-weekly stipend, which helps many of our students students whose income supports a family, and graduates from AYW with job skills and nationally recognized certifications that give them an edge in finding employment.

“Coming from a rundown home with six children and a single mother, I never thought I would graduate from high school or step foot into a college. After constant work and studying for a year with AYW, I managed to obtain a GED and start attending college, becoming the first in my family to do so,” Elizar Espinoza, CVB participant.

In partnership with the US Department of Labor and YouthBuild USA, CVB is a nationally-recognized leader in combining education for youth with green building and affordable housing. Since the start of the program in 1994, over 1,000 participants have gone through the CVB program, building over 80 energy-efficient, affordable homes, similar to the one being featured in the Cool House Tour.

The TXSES Cool House Tour will feature homes that exemplify the benefits of a whole-house approach to design and construction: proper orientation, comfort, energy water and material efficiency, durability and low maintenance and healthy and safety. This tour is not only an educational opportunity for the community, but also is a fundraiser for the TXSES.

You can tour the homes from 10 am – 6 pm. Please make the CVB home at 6911 Villita Avenida a stop and to see how AYW is transforming the lives of at-risk youth through service to the community. Check the TXSES website for Tour guidebooks.

Power Hour

On April 8, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By Rachel Matvy

CVB house to be featured in the Cool House Tour

On April 5, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By Rachel Matvy

The American YouthWorks’ (AYW) home, built by participants of Casa Verde Builders (CVB), at 6911 Villita Avenida, Austin, TX is one of 16 homes that is being featured in the 2011 Cool House Tour and is unique in that is was built by at-risk youth for low income, first time homebuyers. The Tour will take place on June 5 and is organized by the Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) in conjunction with Austin Energy Green Building. We would like to thank the TXSES for selecting our CVB house and the proud owners who are opening their home to approximately 1,000 visitors that day.

Participants of the CVB program of AYW learn cutting-edge, green construction techniques by building energy efficient homes from foundation to finish while earning their high school diploma or GED and money for post-secondary education. This award-winning program is proven to produce higher academic performance and consistent attendance for its participants by removing barriers to education and providing hands-on applications for course material. Each participant earns a bi-weekly stipend, which helps many of our students students whose income supports a family, and graduates from AYW with job skills and nationally recognized certifications that give them an edge in finding employment.

“Coming from a rundown home with six children and a single mother, I never thought I would graduate from high school or step foot into a college. After constant work and studying for a year with AYW, I managed to obtain a GED and start attending college, becoming the first in my family to do so,” Elizar Espinoza, CVB participant.

In partnership with the US Department of Labor and YouthBuild USA, CVB is a nationally-recognized leader in combining education for youth with green building and affordable housing. Since the start of the program in 1994, over 1,000 participants have gone through the CVB program, building over 80 energy-efficient, affordable homes, similar to the one being featured in the Cool House Tour.

The TXSES Cool House Tour will feature homes that exemplify the benefits of a whole-house approach to design and construction: proper orientation, comfort, energy water and material efficiency, durability and low maintenance and healthy and safety. This tour is not only an educational opportunity for the community, but also is a fundraiser for the TXSES.

You can tour the homes from 10 am – 6 pm. Please make the CVB home at 6911 Villita Avenida a stop and to see how AYW is transforming the lives of at-risk youth through service to the community. Check the TXSES website for Tour guidebooks. They can also be purchased for $15.

Youth and Volunteers Clean Greenbelt and Remove Invasive Species to Honor Dr. King

On January 5, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Environmental Corps, General News, Press Releases, Special Events, Volunteering, By Rachel Matvy

American YouthWorks, Keep Austin Beautiful and Montopolis Tributary Trail Association partner to improve the Montopolis Greenbelt.

Austin, TX– On January 15, young people from American YouthWorks’ (AYW) Environmental Corps, Casa Verde Builders (CVB) and staff will engage volunteers in community service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Partnering with Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) and the Montopolis Tributary Trail Association, corps members and community volunteers will remove invasive species, seed wildflowers and pick up trash on the Montopolis Greenbelt.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

8:30 am-9:00 am Volunteer sign in and breakfast

9:00 am-10:00 am “Reflecting on the Dream”

Huston-Tilloston University

Davage-Durden Union Building

900 Chicon Street.

10:00 am-3:00 pm Montopolis Greenbelt Clean up and Invasive Species Removal

Meet at the Montopolis Practice Fields

901 Vasquez St.

Volunteers can sign up at www.handsoncentraltexas.org. Wear long pants, bring water and be prepared to get dirty. If you have questions, call Rachel Matvy, 744-1904. The service project will take place next door to Burdett Prairie Cemetery, a historic site that AYWs’ CVB program has already performed several service days to restore. Currently, there are just a few, short trails in the Montopolis neighborhood. The Montopolis Tributary Trail Network will be constructed in the Montopolis Greenbelt to increase connectivity to nearby bikeways and parks and provide more recreational space. This service project is one of the first steps. Please join us!

Tagged with: Martin Luther King • Media Advisory • MLK • service • volunteering

AIA Event a Huge Success for AYW!

On July 21, 2010, In Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By devintern

Casa Verde Builders member, Christopher, educates AIA members and guests on AYW's green home building program.

On Saturday, May 1st, AYW’s Casa Verde Builders partnered with AIA (American Institute of Architects) to host an open house event in downtown Austin. The event consisted of a tour held all over downtown and highlighted twenty-two architectural firms. The open house raised $1652 for AYW and also provided a great opportunity for showcasing its service programs.

Thanks to AIA for hosting the event and to everyone who came out and participated!

Join E-Corps for National Trails Day this Saturday!

On June 2, 2010, In Environmental Corps, General News, Special Events, By mmiller

THIS SATURDAY, June 5th, join American YouthWorks Environmental Corps, the Austin Parks Foundation, the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Dept, Hill Country Conservancy, and sponsors Texas Gas Service and The Austonian as they host the second annual American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day volunteer workday at the Barton Creek Greenbelt and Bastrop State Park.

Service projects will start at 9:00 am. Early registration is encouraged starting at 8:15 am and will include free coffee. Volunteers should come dressed in sturdy work clothes and will receive a free “Get Dirty” t-shirt from REI (while supplies last)!

E-Corps crews will work with volunteers at the Zilker Park trail head to make improvements to tread, maintain drainage and erosion control, and to make the trails more accessible to all visitors. At Bastrop State Park, the E-Corps Trails Across Texas crew will lead similar trail maintenance projects. All ages are welcome.

After the service project at Zilker Park, volunteers will receive a free lunch from SaltLick BBQ and are invited cool off with a free swim at Barton Springs.

For more information and to register for the event, visit the Austin Parks Foundation website here or the REI website here.

For more information on trails activities in and around Bastrop State Park, click here.

AIA and AYW partner for Open Architecture Downtown event this Saturday

On April 30, 2010, In Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, General News, Green Energy Corps, Special Events, By devintern

This Saturday, May 1st from 1 to 5 pm, Casa Verde Builders and other AYW service program members will showcase AmericanYouthWorks’ service programs as part of a special event hosted by AIA Austin (American Institute of Architects). The event is an open house and tour held all over downtown Austin and will highlight twenty-two downtown architectural firms.

Wristbands for the event are $5 and all proceeds benefit American YouthWorks.

For more information and to purchase wristbands, please visit the AIA website.

AYW Corps Members Share the ‘Green’ Word at the Green Living Expo

On April 29, 2010, In Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, General News, Green Energy Corps, Special Events, By devintern

“Being Green” just got a little easier with The Green Living Expo at the Austin Convention Center!

American YouthWorks Corps members set up booth at the Convention Center to present their skills and efforts, discover new green information, and fundraise on the weekend of April 23-25 at Austin’s Green Living Expo.

The Green Living Expo was an excellent opportunity for the various corps organization members (Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, and Green Energy Corps) to work together and learn more about each other as well. Generally, Corps headquarters and activities do not afford additional time toward getting to know in-depth the objectives of fellow Corps programs.

This was also an opportunity to share the passion harbored from work done in the community from weatherization and home construction, park/trail/forestry and habitat restoration, refurbishing computer and technology donations, and generally working to assist and strengthen low-income and at-risk communities in the Austin area.

The booth was decorated by each Corps with ther respective individal flair.

GEC and ECorps constructed display boards using materials commonly worked with (natural woods or weatherization materials such as solar screens). E-Corps also had a table to display and demonstrate some of their commonly used tools. Computer Corps set up a powerpoint presentation with videos, photographs and information about all of the Corps programs and GEC guided booth visitors in online carbon footprint calculations.

To view the additional Green Living Expo snapshots, please visit our Facebook photo album of this event.

At the Convention Center, members also had the opportunity to explore what the Green Living Expo had to offer in more sustainable solutions for the way we live, food, entertainment, and build. There were hundreds of booths for sampling fresh organic cuisine and learning better ways to cook, book recycling programs through Austin Public Libraries, presentations and book signings from notable guest speakers in sustainability and green business, and various design ideas for work Corps members are utilizing (Rain water collectors, and innovative insulation and home construction designs).

Seminars were on three stages: Green Building, Sustainable Living, and Climate Change. Interim CEO Dick Pierce of Dick Pierce Designs presented on the Sustainability stage as an expert in Permaculture on Sunday, April 25th at 3pm.

In addition, GEC member Jake Clarke created an amazing magnet design that was offered to donors of $10 or more. This new American YouthWorks magnet has school location and contact information which an image depicting volunteers of all 4 Corps and Service Learning Academy programs working together. A number of these were handed out during the Green Expo weekend, but we still have a supply available for anyone interested in purchasing one now. The actual magnet size is 6.5” by 5”. Great for a refrigerator or filing cabinet, the magnet image actually pops out so you can use the border as a picture frame and have two magnets in one. For more information on donating and/or getting your magnet for a minimum donation of $10, please contact Brandon Kiger (bkiger@americanyouthworks.org). Quantities are limited so pick yours up today!

Blog written by Angela Garner, GEC Member