As with many youth programs at this time of year, we are starting to wind down and ease into summer, reflecting on the year that has flown by and looking forward to the coming season.
This spring brought many "seeds of change" for YES!. With excitement for new opportunities that change always brings, we invite you to read about them below and envision our "blossoming" future!
Sincerely,
The YES! Staff
YES! Awards Season
Sleepy Eye YES! Team
With 27 teams and more than 300 engaged students in the YES! program this year, the 2011-2012 YES! season was full of creative and impactful work.
Royalton YES! Team
The positive ripples they made in their communities exponentially increased as they collaborated with their fellow peers and community members to make 'waves' in the global community!
It was with great enthusiasm that we presented these deserving teams with the YES! awards this past April and May. Read highlights from the awards presentations here.
YES! in Action
YES! Coordinator Reflects On Past, Looks to the Future
Anne Dybsetter
This spring, YES! congratulated coordinator Anne Dybsetter as she accepted a position with the Minnesota Education Corps. Since inception five years ago, Anne has witnessed the program grow and thrive. Read her 'farewell note' to YES! and its supporters and join us in wishing Ann the best in her future endeavors!
Team Installs 'Green Roof'
Austin YES! Team plants green roof
Austin YES! team installed a 'green roof' - 300 square feet of plantings - on their school's rooftop this past May. Read the highlights, including news coverage here.
See more of the exciting projects YES! teams are working on by clicking here.
Energy Business Highlight
YES! Impacting the Entrepreneurs of the Future: An Alumni Spotlight
Austin Nash, 2009 graduate of Springfield High School, and past member of the Springfield YES! team, has found his niche in business at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Thanks in part to his participation in the YES! Program, Austin has decided to pursue a degree in business and has recently found success in a business venture he and two fellow students started.
YES! teams gather at YES! Summit 2011 at Gustavus College
Taking the summer to gear up for next season, YES! is looking forward to Fall Summit 2012. Please stay tuned via the YES! website for the details on the date and location of this annual event.
YES! is currently accepting team registration forms for the 2012-2013 YES! season. If your community is interested in hosting a YES! team, please visit our Prospective Teams page, or contact us at [email protected].
Did You Know...
Educational waste display by ACGC YES! Team at ACGC Elementary School
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Minnesota's public schools throw out 483,520 lbs of wasteevery day.
Read here to see how YES! teams are keeping hundreds of pounds of waste out of the waste stream.
YES! empowers youth to partner with their community to create economic and environmental vitality through hands-on learning and team-based projects.
YES! provides a unique opportunity for students to learn by engaging directly in community efforts that lead to dramatic demonstrations of renewable energy technology and conservation practices and exposes them to how science is applied in real life.