Youth Network:  Teen Advisory Board + Day One Advocates + Youth Council

Focus:  United Youth Support

 

Present: 

 

Staff: 

  • Jane Gov – Pasadena Library
  • Nancy Verdin – Day One
  • Ashley Carrasco – Day One
  • Jazmine – Day One

Day One Advocates: 

  • Stephanie
  • Estrella
  • Fernando
  • Mario

Teen Advisory Board: 

  • Cassie
  • Liam
  • Noah
  • Julia C
  • Sophie
  • Genevieve
  • Haile

Youth Council: 

  • Prince
  • Ashwin
  • Laila 

 

Meeting etiquette: 

  • Silence mics when you’re not speaking
  • If you do not want to speak on the mic, use the chat box.

 

Icebreaker: 

How is everyone? Is there anything new that you want to learn or start trying out in the next month? (such as a hobby, an online course/game/resource)

  • Jane- Sewing masks for city staff
  • Ashley – Working Out/Running
  • Ashwin- Distributing N95 Masks
  • Cassie- Working out at home/Sewing masks for family and friends
  • Liam- Learning French 
  • Estrella- Be more active and read more books
  • Fernando- Reading some new books
  • Haile- Applying to scholarships and working on senior project
  • Jazmine- cooking 
  • Julia- Pastries; baking bread
  • Mario- procrastinate less
  • Sophie-Cooking
  • Stephanie- Paint with watercolors 
  • Prince-composing a lot of music and spending a lot of time researching colleges
  • Noah- Computer programing 

 

Education / College / Life skills: 

Remote school: What works? Doesn’t work?

  • Teachers were given 2-day training, most are accustomed to teaching on-line. 
  • Teachers take attendance based on who is on Google Meet. 
  • Been able to take advantage of virtual sessions held by colleges. 
  • We launched right into online learning; teachers post 10-minute assignments; some teachers have longer sessions. There’s a lack of support in studying for AP and learning time. “Feels like you’re only taking one class.”
  • I’m doing okay as for the college support. We haven’t started doing online classes yet because of spring break. I have a similar experience with college, so I’ve been connecting online with classmates.

 

Is there a lack of support, equipment, access, or space to work? What do you need to feel more supported? What could have prepared you better for online learning?

  • There’s a big lack of help when it comes to online school a lot of the time my work won’t show up. When I tell my teachers, they don’t get back to me until days later, which makes my work late.
  • There needs to be more class time. We’re posting assignments, but not up to level. There are systemic issues with reporting volunteer hours, and there are requirements to drop off in person, but they don’t have an email/website available. 
  • We have only one live conference (Zoom). There should be some way for students to learn on their own and teach students how to find resources on their own. “You’re on your own” 
  • Communication with teachers- google classroom, having to stay alert and constant checking throughout the day; there’s no framework for meeting with teachers. Teachers have overlapping office hours. 
  • For some class communications, it’s email; some, you can comment on google classroom; and some teachers gave us their numbers.
  • I have class sessions and teachers send out regular emails almost every day. But there is definitely a time lag and responses aren’t as immediate as needed
  • My classes meet once every other day, and usually tell us what we’ll be doing in class via the class’ page on the school portal.
  • Some students have issues with having to take care of younger siblings.
  • It’s difficult to learn for some families because they have a lot of siblings in the household, and lack of internet access.

 

Mental Health: 

Are you feeling more anxious, isolated, or sad? or Do you feel better being at home?

  • Anxious about APs and uncertainty about being able to still go to college.
  • Agree about being anxious about APs. Since it’s a new format, I’m uncertain how to prepare, and I understand that a lack of internet access can affect someone’s participation in the tests.
  • I agree, the new AP format puts a lot more pressure on doing well because the test is only 45 minutes and there are at most two questions for most exams. 
  • More anxious about having to learn on my own. I feel alone at home trying to learn. If I have a question, it takes a lot longer to figure it out. Teachers are assigning a lot of work, more work than usual. 
  • There’s a push and focus on independent learning. Learning at home has been difficult; it’s hard to find a balance and studying for APs and school work load. 
  • Being at home hasn’t really bothered me; I’m still texting and calling all of my friends.
  • I feel more stressed because I have to focus on my school work while having family business going on at the same time.
  • I feel more isolated and stressed trying to complete assignments that I sometimes don’t know how to do and if I do message my teachers, they don’t respond till several days later.
  • I’m doing pretty good. It’s kind of an opportunity to reconsider my habits and work towards what I really want. 

 

What could help you feel more supported emotionally?

  • School was an escape.
  • School has been putting notices that they are going to postpone activities for June, yet they’re also downplaying the seriousness of the situation. I’m very hopeful, but I want more realistic approaches. 
  • School is being too careful with students; they’ve emailed seniors twice, and it feels like we’re all being torn apart. It’s not the case for everyone. There’s distance between how it’s affecting us. (The situation is affecting everyone differently, but the messaging seems to be treating students as if they’re all on the same level.)
  • I think in general, teachers and especially school administrations need to be reaching out to students and their families and communicating with them openly. I think a lot of school administrations have been very closed off.
  • I think if teachers understood that just because we are at home does not mean we should be overloaded with homework. Yes, I understand as students we have to learn the content and practice with homework, but 6-8 hours of work in a different environment is not what I imagined.

 

What are you doing for self-care?

  • Get caught up on sleep 
  • Remaking my own routine for the day 
  • Putting a timer to take breaks
  • Math 
  • Exercise 
  • I’m relaxing. Playing lots of video games. 
  • Going to sleep earlier
  • Reading
  • Sleeping
  • Following my complex skincare routine and doing a facemask every now and then along with drinking more water and sleeping more.
  • Walking around my neighborhood to just get out of the house and get some fresh air.
  • Exercise / reading / journaling
  • I’ve been able to sleep between classes or when I have free time.

 

What are your concerns about what’s going on in the world?

  • The economy.
  • I’m very worried about how our government is handling this pandemic, especially with what is happening with FEMA.
  • Pretty much everything going on in the world right now is somewhat concerning
  • That my family in a different country won’t have the health access and resources to stay safe during this time
  • I haven’t experienced this personally, but I know that at one of my friend’s schools, xenophobia and racism are becoming an issue.
  • Not really much with the world but more with the country. I know that there are people in the country not taking this situation seriously and it’s really concerning because those actions are going to prolong this quarantine.
  • I’m a junior so I’m concerned my senior year gets ruined and I’m concerned the quarantine never ends.
  • My neighbors had a party the other day – it seems like they don’t understand what a “stay at home” order is.
  • Will this be resolved by my senior year? This is a huge part of my high school career and I just hope that there aren’t barriers to what I want to accomplish.

 

Food: 

Do you have access to healthy food at home?

  • Mostly Yes’s
  • Yes, fortunately. But I know that it may be hard for some people who live paycheck to paycheck to provide healthy food for their family.
  • Again, everything ties to the economy. Economy = health and some people are unable to work, which may hinder access to healthy food and other resources.

 

Have you been picking up food from a school? If so, does the process work for you?

  • Yes the process is very easy, and doesn’t cost us to interact with the people. It’s enough for breakfast and lunch.
  • I don’t think it’s enough for breakfast.
  • It’s a very well rounded meal plan.

 

Family life: 

 

Do you have a quiet place to study? 

  • No – 3
  • Sometimes – 4
  • Yes – 4
  • Yes; I’m not often disturbed in my room
  • sometimes because I have siblings
  • Yeah, my room is generally pretty quiet
  • yes, fortunately my parents are willing to be quiet. At times I may have to ask them to quiet down
  • It must be harder for households with multiple family members.

 

Is it more difficult or do you feel more supported having your family at home?

  • More difficult – 8
  • Same – 2
  • More supported – 3
  • they are loud and don’t really help with work
  • We just do our own things, honestly
  • I feel more supported. When I need a break from hours of work, there is someone to talk to
  • there are multiple meetings on zoom at the same time, so the noise level is crazy
  • half and half. I feel more supported, but I feel like I just need my own space for a little bit
  • they are loud and always asking me stuff (like from younger siblings)
  • my sibling needs help with schoolwork, so sometimes it is hard to do my own work especially when I am on a class zoom call, but also help him to keep learning (2 additional agrees with this comment)

 

Do any of the YMP need another component in light of this situation?

Technology infrastructure for teachers?

–Future Youth Network topic?

 

What can the community do now? and How can we make things fun?

  • Provide good quality headphones
  • Get hotspots out to people who don’t have internet
  • Provide a list of fave shows for streaming
  • –Future Youth Network topic?

 

Announcements:

YA Book Club is on Monday 4/13:  http://pasadena.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=2625&backTo=Calendar&startDate=2020/04/08

 

Safe Routes parent presentations: (there will be prizes!) http://pasadena.evanced.info/signup

 

Day One working on art kits to distribute to students; please take survey to help this process: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3pqwCvaCUtflOmYwG2_A_t6ne59KQ4qPTHDidIwBTOZUqKg/viewform

 

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Teen Blog:  http://pasadena-library.net/teens/

 

Teen Newsletter:  http://www.libraryaware.com/2061/NewsletterIssues/ViewIssue/3159aa24-f737-41bb-82ee-b398a1f9a62b?postId=31fc3216-f830-46f9-b103-b8f629e3be3e