It's colorful, it's vibrant, and consistently full of smiling faces from youth and adults alike; the Youth Center at Skyline High School in Oakland, California is like nowhere I've ever had the privilege of working. And as the year progresses, I find myself already missing the very place that I've only really been a part of for 4 months. The impact that this center has had on my vision and hopes for our youth has been powerful.
When I stumbled onto the campus grounds, I admittedly dreaded starting over; although this is my second year as an adviser with UC Berkeley's Destination College/EAOP program, Skyline is the second school that I will be servicing as we are no longer at my former site. The idea of having to re-create all those working relationships with students, teachers, parents, and staff, exhausted me before the year started! But like everything in life, and especially in life within Advising Corps, you have to roll with the punches. There is no choice but to deal with change and the mentality I've come to stand by is: deep breath, exhale, and get to work.
However, the Youth Center has made getting to work easier than expected - with a staff that truly understands what it takes to serve a community like Oakland, my job has been challenging but doable because of the model that the Youth Center follows. Everything here is self-sustaining: staff help mold, build, create leaders out of students who often don't get an opportunity to flex the skills and talents they possess, and students keep the staff grounded with the realities of what they need in order to be successful.
I am able to supplement the Youth Center's objectives by providing students with a college knowledge piece that complements the center's needs, allowing me to be a visible staff member on campus. I feel like they've created a community within the school that is truly exemplary and to be a part of it is…refreshing. Just recently, the Youth Center organized a Holiday Decorating Party where students were invited to come give it a more homey feel for the holidays. Students made fliers, spread the word, encouraged each other to get involved in creating an environment that is welcoming for all; even I could be found on a ladder helping fix lights gone awry. With over 40 participants, the Youth Center now blinks with holiday lights, complete with student-made ornaments hanging from the wires. And all the while, as students come and go from the Youth Center, my office door remains open, giving them a peek into walls decorated with college pennants, posters, and a copy of my diploma that proudly hangs on the inside and outside of my door.
This is what education should be about. Fostering the skills within our youth to provide them with the tools they need to be successful in their communities and beyond. Many Oakland students are interested in college but don't know that it's something within their reach; and the simple fact that my office lies within that same safe space that Youth Together's Youth Center has created enables me to grab and hang on to those who may be ready to loosen their grip. It works here. Things click, people click, it clicks. The past 4 months have flown by and I can't wait to see what our collaborative will be able to accomplish for the spring.
About Kristi:
Hi all! My name is Kristi Lozano and I am from the Bay Area, California. If there is one word to describe me, I think "random" sums it all up. I grew up in an incredibly diverse household - my mother is Japanese and my father is Mexican! As a result, I was blessed to be raised in a very accepting environment. I had always excelled in academics but when I was younger, my true passion was gymnastics. I trained hard for over 10 years before having to quit due to...old-ageness! The life of a gymnast is short but the lessons I learned from it are timeless. I truly believe that my dedication in the gym and all the lessons I learned from it - perseverance, hard work, and enthusiasm - taught me how to be a fighter. Those qualities were essential to my success in a math and science program and life in general!
My advice to you all: Work hard. Never Quit. Enjoy the struggle!
Here's a pic of me and my gramps!