WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY...
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... I have learned much more than I ever thought possible about mental health, especially the kind of stress that adolescents often experience in the Bay Area. ...YAPA truly made me learn about what pride for this community really means, and how to communicate with others to compromise and thus effectively solve urgent and long-term issues of this region." -- Angelica Wang, Monta Vista High, Freshman (2019)
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"YAPA taught me that government at a local level is much closer to citizens than it seems. So much information from the government is widely available to us, and we can use this information to not only form more informed opinions about policy, but also create change. From council meetings to simple conversations with councilmembers, local government is a great place to advocate for change that's achievable and impactful." -- Albert Tam, Lynbrook High, Sophomore (2019)
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"Participating in the YAPA minicamp was an incredible opportunity to advance my interests as the program provided me the skills I need to advocate for the issues I am passionate about in addition to giving me access to a vast network of distinguished advocates and public servants." -- Vaibhav Rangan, Lynbrook High, Freshman (2019)
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"I learned about government and politics from various mentors and government officials. I developed new skills for public speaking, and got more involved in my community while advocating for change. I also met many new people who were fun to work with as we learned about issues affecting our community." -- Tiana Zhou , Mission San Jose High, Sophomore (2019)
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"...We discussed problem-solving methods and applied them to real-life scenarios such as passing ordinances. I have learned so much about issues in Cupertino and brainstormed potential solutions to them as well as taken initiative with my group and contacted city council members to bring forward our thoughts and concerns to hopefully resolve them." -- Alyssa Yao, Cupertino High, Sophomore (2019)
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"As a member of the YAPA program, I was given the opportunity to interact with an expert in housing policy. In addition, I was introduced to new methods to analyze the state of housing in California. The mentors and my fellow participants within the program helped empower me to take strides towards affecting positive change for my city and state." -- Arvind Jagdish, Monta Vista High, Senior (2019)
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"I learned many things from YAPA: On campaigning, I learned how to create a resonant message and reach a strong target audience. On policy, I learned what goes into making a good piece of legislation, as well as the tools and groups available for supporting efforts on these matters. And finally, on networking, I learned how to contact important community figures, create lasting impacts, and ultimately build mutually beneficial relationships with the people around me." -- Nelson Mu, Monta Vista High, Junior (2019)