Welcoming and Developing New Leaders Aswun James remembers the moment he made his first friend. He was 11 years old and at a YES Nature to Neighborhoods Family Camp when he was suddenly separated from his mom and siblings. When a passing camper pointed him in the...
Challenged to Succeed Anthony Ng grew up in San Francisco in an area where gang activity meant that wearing the wrong color could get him killed. And being at home had risks. After cycling through a few foster homes, and with his parents working all the time,...
Teacher Helps School Become Health Ambassador “It’s astronomically expensive to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but I can get six Little Debbie snack cakes for $2,” says pre-kindergarten teacher Suzen Polk-Hoffses. She lives in Milbridge, a coastal town of less than...
Girls Find Their Inner Strength in the Outdoors Something personal had been weighing on Mai Da Silva’s mind the summer before her freshman year in high school. She thought about that burden as she balanced on the side of a California mountain, yelled about it into the...
Creating a World Where More People See Themselves as Scientists At 14 years old, Carla Camacho thought she was just signing up for a fun beach trip in Baja California. She didn’t know the experience would change the trajectory of her life. Today, because of that first...
Point Bonita YMCA Delivers Meaningful Experiences in the Outdoors Every Child Deserves At the northernmost entrance to San Francisco Bay sits Point Bonita, a coastal community adjacent to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area; a stunning regional treasure...
