September eNews: Falling Into New Routines
Dear Friends,
The few weeks that mark the transition from summer to fall is typically a significant one for parents and kids alike. School routines replace summer ones and families are sent scrambling to keep their kids busy and engaged. Over the past few years, YES has grown to fulfill those out-of-school time needs–with camps and outings for the summer and weekends and hands-on leadership programs for the school days. So while the change inherent in this season can feel overwhelming at times, YES’s support of young people and families remains steady, with new opportunities and experiences to ground in community and the outdoors.
At the long-awaited revival of our annual staff retreat last month, our newly expanded team reaffirmed its commitment to community, growth, equity, and play in preparation for an exciting season of cohort kick-offs–including new after-school programming for our 8-13 year olds–and activities for families. Energized by our first summer camps since 2019, our staff is eager to continue YES’s work to connect community members of all ages with nature, encourage physical activity and mental well-being in the outdoors, and explore the natural spaces right here in our city. To this end, we are looking forward to bringing back one of our favorite events of the season: the pandemic-inspired and much-loved Nature Day Outings.
Of course, you know us, and you know that we can’t move forward without first looking back to learn from and to celebrate all the moments and people that have gotten us here. Below, you’ll hear from YES summer campers and families about what they’ll be carrying with them from their experiences this season. You’ll also learn about one invaluable partner who made these experiences possible for dozens of YES youth this summer. And if you’re looking to revive that summer camp feeling for your own family and friends, but want to keep it local, check out one of the newest parks we explored and fell in love with last month.In community,
Eric Aaholm, Executive Director
Summer Camp
After a whirlwind summer reminiscent of the pre-pandemic era, the 2022 summer camp season has officially closed--and it was just as good as we remember.
In a few short weeks, a total of 171 young people experienced the joy of camp from a wide range of perspectives. This year, 62 youth were first-time YES campers, while 40 teens found themselves on the other end of journey, serving in leadership roles and taking on more responsibility for themselves, their fellow campers, and the environment.
For the first time since 2019, we had caregivers and families in and out of the YES office registering for camps and asking questions; returning campers rushing through our doors, leaving an entryway strewn with duffles and sleeping bags and bursting with campfire songs and new dances; and dozens of families relieved by the availability of affordable, safe, and foundational summer camp opportunities. In short: everything that makes this work so wonderful, wrapped up in just a couple of months.
But rest assured, we weren’t the only ones who had a great time this summer. Check out what campers and their caregivers had to say about the experience:
YES Community Highlight: Optimist Volunteers for Youth (OVY) Camp
YES works with an incredible group of community partners year-round to make our programs possible, and when summer rolls around, these partnerships become even more critical to our work as we rely on a select few camps to host YES campers and put their families minds at ease. One of these influential hosts is the always reliable, enthusiastic, and inspiring staff at OVY Camp.
OVY has hosted nearly 250 YES campers since 2015!
OVY’s San Mateo County campus, complete with seemingly-infinite meadows and towering redwood trees, has been a home-away-from-home for YES campers for nearly a decade--and they always return with smiles on their faces and friendship bracelets on their wrists. Beyond the exceptional experience OVY provides for our young people, the organization shares YES’s deeply held value for affordable opportunities outdoors and offers a one-of-a-kind tiered registration fee system that makes it possible for families and youth to experience camp like they never thought possible.
If you love OVY as much as we do, you can even reserve their campus for private events! Check out all they have to offer and consider supporting their work as an appreciation for all they do to support YES and our community.
Parks We Love: Presidio Tunnel Tops
Having just opened up this summer, the Tunnel Tops Park is one of the newest national park attractions in the country–and it had no problem making quick fans out of all of us at YES.
Nestled in San Francisco’s historic Presidio right on the water’s edge, Tunnel Tops was made possible by the Presidio Trust, the Parks Conservancy, and the community input led by the young people and incredible staff at the Crissy Field Center whose vision, similar to YES, is all about making the outdoors accessible to young people living in urban settings.
It is the perfect spot for the whole family to escape the heat, get outdoors, and learn about the site’s past and ecology. Bring a picnic and camp out for the day on the sprawling green grass; lace up your walking shoes and take a stroll around the accessible Bluff Walk; head into the Field Station for some hands-on science activities; and certainly don’t forget your camera to capture the grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge from right up-close.
Don’t want to deal with San Francisco traffic and parking? Take public transportation directly to the Presidio Transit Center and get right to exploring!
