COHORT SPOTLIGHT National Youth Service Day

ExCEL After School Programs Celebrate
National Youth Service Day 2007

Throughout this April, over 45 ExCEL After School Program sites are participating in National Youth Service Day activities. Projects include “Trash-a-Thons” (litter collection and recycling), making get well cards for people in the hospital, and participating in the Citrus Freeze Relief Effort by hosting food drives. For a list of sites, times and activities please read the National Youth Service Day 2007 List of Participating ExCEL After School Program Sites pdf document.

For the Citrus Freeze Relief Effort, ExCEL After School Programs have teamed up with the Cesar Chavez Foundation to organize the collection of food items for workers and their families left without jobs after the freeze in January destroyed the citrus crops.  Through the project, participating schools will also have the opportunity to learn about the life and work of Cesar Chavez.  Five elementary schools, ten middle schools, and four high schools are hosting a drive. 

Eight of the participating middle schools are also part of the Cesar E. Chavez Afterschool Service Clubs program, a grant that was awarded to the ExCEL After School Programs by California Volunteers.  Students in the clubs kicked off the program by contributing to the KaBOOM! playground build at Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School on Saturday, March 31st, in honor of Cesar Chavez Day.  They gardened, painted murals, and got to meet Gavin Newsom!

 

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