Youth Advocacy Center : News & Events : Calendar

Calendar Press Articles by YAC Contact Youth Advocacy Center to learn more about these events. Read Kendall's Speech at the Urban Heroes Award Ceremony		2012 March 2012 Youth Advocacy Center's Co-Founder and Executive Director Betsy Krebs presented Promoting Self-Adovcacy with Youth Clients: A Valuable Skill and Why It's Important, a Continuing Legal Education program for attorneys at the Queens County Bar Association. The program focused on the nature and role of self-advocacy and how attorneys can encourage their youth clients to develop and use these essential skills. 2011 September 2011 New GBS Seminar launched at New York Law School! In collaboration with the Abbey Law Center for Children and Families, under the direction of Professor Carlin Meyer and Genevieve Wachtell, YAC is offering a second NYC GBS Seminar, focused on serving youths from downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. Jeremiah Rygus, a second-year student and Abbey Fellow, is leading the inaugral seminar, with Robin Axelman as co-facilitator. The semester has just begun and already Jeremiah is impressed by how the students are responding: "The first class was great. I was worried I would have to convince the group of the value of doing all of the work, but they surprised me with their enthusiasm and recognition of the importance of the material. Many of the class members have an idea of the direction they want to head, I'm excited to see them begin to apply the course material to their individual situations and goals over the next few weeks." Fall GBS Seminars are now also underway at Harvard, Columbia, and Hofstra Law Schools! GBS students are meeting in law school classrooms, discussing the principals of effective advocacy and debating advocacy strategies for the protagonists in the cases they are reading. They are also beginning to focus on a career choice for their informational interviews. At Harvard, the seminar is being led by Marquita James, who returns as facilitator. Whitney O'Byrne is now leading the Columbia seminar, after serving as co-facilitator last Spring; Meghan Lacey is now co-facilitator. Hilary Casper has now taken over facilitation at Hofstra, assisted by co-facilitator Camile Tucker. Spring 2011 New York, NY and Cambridge, MA GBS Seminar Graduates honored at Columbia and Harvard Law Schools. In both NYC and Cambridge, students continue to challenge themselves and prepare to take on future challenges as they learn self-advocacy skills. The Spring 2011 class is the fourth graduating class at Columbia, and their achievements were celebrated by New York Foundling and Harlem Children’s Zone professionals, Columbia law students, friends and family. At the ceremony, the graduating class had the opportunity to reflect on their achievements in the seminar and their goals for the future through speeches and even poetry. In Cambridge, the graduating class was honored by professionals from The Home for Little Wanderers, the Harvard community, as well as family and friends of the students. Throughout the semester, the students showed tremendous motivation and commitment to their futures. Plans for the future include careers as graphic designer, veterinarian, plastic surgeon, state trooper and chef. April 2011 Hempstead, NY Graduation ceremony honors inaugural GBS class at Hofstra. In a ceremony at Hofstra Law School, the 10 graduates of the first-ever GBS Seminar there were honored by Hofstra students and faculty, professionals from Mercy First and Family and Children’s Association, and family and friends. The GBS students, led by second-year law student Orly Bertel with Hilary Casper, spent the semester learning self-advocacy skills and preparing for informational interviews in a variety of exciting fields. “By teaching at-risk youth how to set short- and long-term goals, depersonalize issues, understand the needs of others and develop their unique strengths, we are giving them the tools they need to create bright futures for themselves,” Bertel said earlier of the seminar. In keeping their futures in mind, students announced that they are already focusing on their next steps by participating in conferences, summer internships and career shadowing. 2010 Spring 2010 New York, NY and Cambridge, MA GBS Seminar graduates honored at Columbia and Harvard Law Schools. At Columbia Law School in NYC, the second graduating class celebrated their achievements along with friends, family, New York Foundling professionals, Columbia law students and members of the community. Graduates this semester conducted informational interviews with a veterinarian, physical therapist, drug enforcement agent, lead actress on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and other leading professionals. In Cambridge, the graduating class was honored in a ceremony attended by Community Resources for Justice leadership and professionals, DYS officials, Harvard faculty and students, parents, teachers and other friends. Adjutant General Joseph Carter of the Massachusetts National Guard delivered the keynote speech. March 2010 New York, NY Youth Advocacy Center introduces new Resource Materials. *Encouraging Education* and Responsible Tenancy. These are the subjects of the new Resource Materials for professionals developed by Youth Advocacy Center for First Place for Youth, a transitional housing program in the San Francisco Bay Area. YAC introduced these materials, which include cases and other materials that can be used directly with youth, in a Transitioning to the GBS Socratic Approach Workshop presented to FPY professionals in New York City in March. The workshop, made possible by the Andrus Family Fund, was designed to help FYP transition to using the Socratic Approach throughout the organization. January 2010 San Francisco, CA *Youth Advocacy Center Getting Beyond the System® Socratic Approaches Workshop in San Francisco.* Leaders, policy-makers, child welfare professionals, educators, youth advocates and other stakeholders involved in California's Connected by 25, Ready to Succeed and Breakthrough Series Collaborative on ILP Initiatives gathered for two days in San Francisco to learn about and practice using Youth Advocacy Center's approaches, including the Socratic Method. 2009 December 2009 New York, NY and Cambridge, MA Ceremonies honor GBS Seminar graduates. Ceremonies were held at Columbia Law School and Harvard Law School honoring the achievements of Fall semester GBS graduates. In New York, friends, family, New York Foundling professionals, Columbia law students and members of the community gathered at the law school to honor the first-ever graduating GBS class there. At Harvard, Community Resources for Justice leadership and professionals, DYS officials, Harvard faculty and students, parents, teachers and other friends celebrated at a graduation featuring a keynote speech by CRJ Board Chairman Scott Harshbarger. November 16, 2009 New York, NY Youth Advocacy Center honored at Youth INC's Celebration to Benefit New York Kids. Youth Advocacy Center was among the youth-serving organizations honored at A Celebration to Benefit New York Kids at the Waldorf Astoria. The evening highlighted young people, including our own Jeremiah Perez (GBS graduate, Fall 2007, New York Foundling), and their stories of how their lives have been improved by the organizations honored at the event. September 16, 2009 New York, NY Youth Advocacy Center kicks off Fall semester with new Getting Beyond the System® Seminar at Columbia Law School. Students from New York Foundling's North Manhattan and Mott Haven programs are traveling to the campus of Columbia Law School to attend the first GBS Seminar there, facilitated by Columbia law student Chava Spivak-Birndorf, with assistance from fellow student Heather Stevenson. This Seminar follows the success of a similar program piloted by Youth Advocacy Center at Harvard Law School last year with youth from Community Resources for Justices in Cambridge, MA and which continues this semester. April 1, 2009 Boston, MA "Preparing At-Risk Youth for Independence: Engaging Youth and the Community." This breakfast, hosted by Youth Advocacy Center at Foley Hoag provided an opportunity for leaders in the Boston area to learn about Youth Advocacy Center's methods and to exchange ideas and strategies for engaging these resources in challenging economic times. March 27, 2009 Richmond, VA "Greater Richmond Housing Summit: Youth Aging out of Foster Care." Youth Advocacy Center Program Director Ann Shalof joined a panel of housing experts to discuss programs directed toward helping youth transition smoothly out of foster care. March 18, 2009 New York, NY Kendall Franklin, Youth Advocacy Center's Youth Outreach Coordinator, kicks off the Youth Advocate Leadership Council with an inaugural meeting of the core membership. This steering committee will guide the expansion of the Council and prepare for future GBS alumni events. January 2009 Graduation ceremonies held in NY, MA and MD for 2008 Fall semester graduates. Ceremonies honored graduates from GBS Seminars at New York Foundling in New York, at Harvard Law School for youth from Community Resources for Justice in Boston and at Montgomery College for students from Future Link, Inc. in Maryland. 2008 December 2008 Oakland, CA Youth Advocacy Center collaborates with First Place for Youth to offer a workshop on Youth Advocacy Center's Socratic Approaches for professionals from this innovative transitional housing program in California. October 21, 2008 New York, NY Catalog for Giving honors GBS graduate Cinenyi Fanini as an Urban Hero at its annual benefit. Cinenyi is a Fall 2007 semester graduate of GBS at New York Foundling. September 2008 Cambridge, MA GBS Seminar launched at Harvard Law School. In this first-ever pilot, students from Community Resources for Justice in Boston are attending the GBS Seminar on the campus of Harvard Law School. Michael Addis, a second-year law student and Teach for America veteran, is facilitating. July 30, 2008 New York, NY Youth Advocacy Center hosted a reception honoring long-time supporters Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan. Youth Outreach Coordinator Kendall Franklin (GBS graduate, Spring 2005, Catherine Street Shelter) spoke about his personal experience with GBS and the benefits of the seminar at this successful fundraiser. March 28, 2008 New York, NY "No Place to Live: The Housing Crisis Facing Youth Aging out of Foster Care." Betsy Krebs, Youth Advocacy Center's Executive Director, and Kendall Franklin, Youth Oureach Coordinator, speak at this symposium at St. John's University. Betsy presented information about how GBS prepares youth for adulthood, while Kendall shared his story about how GBS helped him take control of his future. March 15, 2008 Cambridge, MA Youth Advocacy Center's Executive Director Betsy Krebs speaks at the first "Celebration of Public Interest," which brought together hundreds of Harvard Law School alumni involved in public service careers to discuss their work, share their stories, and engage the next generation of HLS students considering public interest professions. February 12, 2008 Baltimore, MD Youth Advocacy Center expands in Maryland, providing GBS training for professionals at various agencies in Baltimore, including New Pathways, Baltimore County DSS, Baltimore City DSS, Public Justice Center, and Kennedy Krieger Institute. January 2008 New York, NY Graduation ceremonies held for Fall 2007 GBS graduates at New York Foundling and SCO Family of Services. Past highlights October 29, 2007 New York, NY Catalog for Giving honors GBS graduate Jeffrey Jean as an Urban Hero at its annual benefit. Jeffrey is a Spring 2007 semester graduate of GBS at New York Foundling. September 19 - 22, 2007 Denver, CO Youth Advocacy Center's Executive Director Betsy Krebs and Director of Education Paul Pitcoff deliver the keynote speech at the annual National Independent Living Conference hosted by Daniel Memorial Institute. October 24, 2006 New York, NY Catalog for Giving honors GBS graduate Kendall Franklin as an Urban Hero at its annual benefit. Kendall is a Spring 2005 semester graduate of GBS at Catherine Street Shelter, now Youth Adovcacy Center's Youth Outreach Coordinator.