We are back with another summer of arts, skateboarding and service! Applications are available now for the program that begins July 8th. We’ll meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 10-4pm in July and August with a community celebration and art show in early September. This year we are also planning an overnight retreat in July.
The program is free and there are only 15 spots available – get your application in now! DOWNLOAD THE SUMMER APPLICATION HERE
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR PARTICIPATING IN GIVE BIG!
Together we raised over $10,000 for our annual Hood trip and beyond!
Right now the Service Board is wrapping up another year of mentoring youth to conquer mountains on a board, in their community, and in themselves. This means one of the most important parts of tSB is fast approaching: the Hood Retreat. Every June we pile all of our youth and mentors into vans and drive down to Mt. Hood to push our growing edge one last time and to solidify the family ties that have been built over the last 6 months. For youth like, Tyvon, this trip is the most important part of tSB.
Mt. Hood was a life-changing experience. The snowboarding is great, no doubt, but that wasn’t the highlight in my eyes. The experience going down to Oregon, with our second family, and connecting the way we had makes this trip all the more worth it and important to our lives. The joy, happiness, smiles and tears that comes with every activity on this trip makes everything so exciting and not a single negative thing happens going there. From the hike, to dinner and to the heart circle at night, if I hadn’t gone on the trip the first time, I wouldn’t be as happy nor outgoing as I am today.
While the rest of the city celebrated, pushed forward or convulsed within it’s self after the May Day march and rally, the youth at tSB wanted to continue in the expositive spirit of May 1st and held a panel discussion and workshop with immigration rights group One America. The panel was kicked off by tSB Alumni and former peer leader Carlos who has dealt with the struggles of being an undocumented teen in Seattle. Second was Rawha Habte from One America spoke of her experience as a refugee from east Africa and what lead her to want to champion the rights of others. After which Rawha lead the entire group an a workshop on awareness of immigration issues. After some reflection time in small groups one youth peer leader Juan-Giovanni Williams Harris had this to say:
I think it [the current system] is unfair and very unjust due to the fact this country is based of immigration for means of bettering the conditions for oneself or family. It’s wrong to deny that right to anyone else because all they wish to do is be on the road of happiness – and the freedom land known as America has been known as putting people in a less trafficky lane to closer be to that success. Especially when one works harder than most of the native inhabitants of this country for less pay. It is very hypocritical and the American government needs to make it easier for immigrants to become citizens.
A very personal issue to many of the people associated with the Service Board the discussion and work around this topic isn’t finished by a long shot.
On March 24th, after two weeks of programming on poverty, nutrition and organizing, we took our prophets out to the White Center Food Bank.
Linda and Mara weeding out a plant bed at the local White Center Garden
Not only did we help organize and clean the food bank, but we also noticed that they needed help with thing like weeding and and fertilizing the beds at the local community garden, so we jumped right in. We had just talked a lot about Grocery Deserts and how often times working-class communities don’t have access to healthy and fresh produce, so we were excited to help with this project.
Time to bust out those old straight skis, directional snowboards, one-piece snowsuits and radical attitude for the Retro Fools Day!
There will be a mega prize raffle and awards for best dressed, fastest time, best trick, and most radical. The older and more retro your gear the more style points you get in the stunt ditch and quicker time you post in the downhill slalom race.
Remember that the the more retro your gear the more seconds you will get deducted from your time. If you decide to rock new gear you will be penalized with seconds being added to your time. Additional accessories such as walkman, old school googles, and fanny pack will get you bonus time deductions. Judges have final say on exact time deductions but can be bribed with cheap beer.
REGISTER ONLINE HERE, and download the event waiver form HERE (under 18 must have parent signature). Registration is only $20, which includes a limited edition t-shirt and an automatic $10 donation to the Service Board! All proceeds from RFD4 will benefit the Service Board (www.theserviceboard.org), which is rad.
We here at the Service Board are big on our physical health and mental health. We thought it would be a great idea for us to have a stress less seminar. Stress a.k.a the silent killer cause more harm than we’d like to believe sometimes. As a youth in Seattle life can be quite stress just like any where else. School, grades, relationships, friends, family all that stress piles up. So we organized a stress less day where we had yoga classes, to help build core strength and flexibility because when our tenses it causes stress. We also had a exercise class to get people feeling good about them selves and feeling fit. Exercising helps release tension. We lastly had a Meditation course to were all the youth and mentors and internes could just relax and not worry. We meditate to focus on positive vibes and stress free things. This is just some of the many things that we at tSB offer our youth. We support them and help build healthier life styles. We encourage youth to try new things and activities like yoga and meditation. #tSBepositive #tSBestressfree
In these interviews we kindly asked Tyvon and Phelix if they could take some time out of there community service project to be interviewed. We took the time to ask two youth what is their responsibility in their own communities and how can community service fulfill that responsibility. We strongly believe that community service brings together community together. and we do fun projects like painting murals, cleaning out weeds around our home office at” youngs town cultural art center.”
Made by: James Hopkins, Youth Media Intern at tSB.
Written by Aaliya, tSB class of 2010 & 11
In January 2010 I was a freshman at Chief Sealth High School. This was also when I first found out about the Service Board. I applied and got accepted to be a prophet, I remember being completely terrified to have to meet with random people I didn’t know twice a week until June. But over the course of only a few months, I gained another family. I felt like I could be myself in the tSB community, that I was loved, and accepted for who I am. It was such an awesome feeling! I loved tSB so much that I decided to apply to become a Peer Leader the following year. Once again I was excepted! In 2011 I was trained in a leadership role where we pretty much took charge of most of the program nights. Being a Peer Leader really gave me that extra confidence boost that I needed. I felt more comfortable speaking in front of people, I knew what to do in awkward silences, and I learned how to lead youth and mentors!
Me and Lai reenacting American Gothic at Ground Up Yesler in 2010.
Once the 2011 graduation ceremony came, I was devastated, because this meant no more tSB! I knew how busy I would become the next year academically going into my junior year, so I had to make the decision to not participate in the 2012 tSB program. When I was not going to program nights every week, it was then I had realized how much I really got from the Service Board. They honestly taught me to be myself, and that it was okay to be different because normal is boring.
This year I am a senior and am on track to graduate from Chief Sealth this June. Every senior has to complete a senior project in order to graduate. Our project has three components to it, the first is a 25 hour project that we come up with, the second is a 1,500 word research paper related to our project, and the final one is a 12-17 minute presentation. For my senior project I have decided to job shadow the executive director of the Service Board, Ashley Miller! I was interested in shadowing Ashley because I wanted to see how this program is kept alive, how funds are raised for the program year after year, and see what it takes to become the executive director of a non profit organization! So ya’ll will be seeing me around the office a lot more often!
HI! Media Intern Mickey Here!
Last weekend was our second time snowboarding and it was a blast!! Shred the Gnar – this is a philosophy that we all follow. This saying has helped tons of new and old tSBers snowboard. Our new Snowboarders are learning so fast and so well. Snowboarding teaches people to push their growing edges and it has definitely helped Coi.
Coi is a prohet(1st Year) to the program. After a tiring day, I interview Coi.
This Sunday will be our first trip to the mountains with a new group of students. We’ll meet at Youngstown at 7am to load a bus to Snoqualmie Pass. The first day is always hard, but this year more than 20 volunteers have signed up to help instruct. Snowboarding is an important part of tSB’s programming. Not only do our students gain access to a sport that they might not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in, they also gain courage, confidence and how to get back up after they fall down. They learn to BELIEVE in themselves.
“Believe” by Paris from the Service Board on Vimeo.
Written by Media Intern, James H. tSB Summer Program class of 2012
In November tSB was invited to Hemel Board Company‘s shop to personalize some skateboards for the evo Grand Opening Party. Our new media intern, James put together this post:
Anna’s turn with the paint.
Going to the Hemmel board shop was definitely an experience I will never forget. I got a chance to go and make skateboards! Not everyday kids get to be apart of the manufacturing and designing of skateboards.
Tommy is stoked.
It wasn’t what expected, it was more. I thought we would be in a computer lab designing graphics on a computer then printing them out onto screen sheets then baking them to the boards or however board designers get fancy graphics onto boards. Instead, I got to paint a graphic by hand on a no kick-tail old school cruiser board. The design came out better than I expected. I wrote out initials in the back of the board (tSB) and wrote my name in reverse (semaj) on it. The board is unique to me because it is something I have definitely dreamed of doing all my life as a skateboarder.
The finished product! A James Hopkins original.
This opportunity was probably one of the greatest days of my life so far. I don’t know exactly how my friends Anna Nguyen and Tommy Teav felt but they were laughing,
smiling and cheering the whole time. I would say they had a total blast! It’s also awesome to know that the proceeds from our boards go towards letting other youth like myself to have this experience.
The dudes over at Hemmel Board shop were way cool and chill. They made the whole process so interesting and fun. They are some of the chillest dudes I know – they manufacture skateboards and they invited me to come back and make some more. With a offer like that I don’t think I can refuse it!
This is me.
As the snow falls in the mountains, the candles are lit and the trees decorated we at tSB would like to take a moment to focus on a few of our favorite things.
First and foremost YOU. All of you who make up this big diverse tSB family of ours. Whether near or far you make tSB a success. Our Mentors! This year we have 10 (mostly ) new mentors who are willing to give their time and energy to grow and learn with tSB youth. Our Youth! 2013 will usher in the 18th year of tSB and we have 35 fresh faces ready to go on the tSB adventure with us. On a mountain or in Washington Hall they are willing to push themselves to new heights. Our awesome volunteer Snowboard Instructors—without you we would never get to our feet! All of our great volunteers and interns; we couldn’t fill our bellies, wax our boards, or get any pretty pictures without your tireless efforts. The Board! Without you working behind the scenes, tSB, well, just wouldn’t be. And don’t think we could forget our Peer Leaders! Those amazing youth who work so hard to plan program, train mentors, and be exemplar leaders for everyone. All of these things make tSB. the Service Board is hands down our favorite thing because as one of our Peer Leaders put it “tSB makes me feel like a family. That has my back no matter what. “
We would like to express a tremendous amount of gratitude to our community for making our recent event such a success. With your help, we raised over $60,000 for our 2013 program which will kick off in January.
Right now our mentors and Peer Leaders are training and planning for the coming year. Our interns are making work plans and preparing equipment. There is snow coming down in the mountains. As we reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of 2012 and prepare for what’s next, please know we could not do it without you!
tSB is recruiting! Now is your chance to join the program as a youth (volunteers and cooks, we’ll be coming after you soon…)
Youth Applications can be found here and are due on November 16th. tSB is an awesome way to be surrounded by incredible people, learn a ton of new stuff, earn your community service hours and spend some quality time shredding at Stevens Pass, the Summit at Snoqualmie and Crystal Mountain this winter.
Hit us up if you have any questions. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Recently, tSB notified the Seattle Police Department of evidence of a relationship between an adult mentor and a student in last year’s program. We have notified the parents of the youth in our program and immediately removed the volunteer. The King County Prosecutor is pursuing charges against the volunteer and tSB will continue to cooperate in the investigation.
Protecting the safety of our youth is our top priority. Each year, we carefully screen and train our volunteer mentors on our policies, healthy boundaries and mentorship. We would like to involve our community in planning for the future by facilitating a conversation about boundaries and to gather feedback about our training materials. Any students and families that would like to participate, please contact info@theServiceBoard.org.
This is an opportunity for all of our families to learn about basic safety rules and appropriate boundaries with adults. A valuable resource for information on how to talk about this with youth is the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center.
the Service Board has been working with Seattle-area teens for 17 years and provides high quality programs that strengthen our community and guide young people to make wise decisions. We have worked with more than 700 students and witnessed tremendous accomplishments and transformations. As we move forward, we will learn and grow together to ensure that we continue to support Seattle teens to reach their potential.
Last week we showed off our summer program accomplishments with a tSB art gallery opening at the Piranha Shop. More than 50 people came through to see their photography, silk screens, drawings and blown glass. After student speeches and a graduation ceremony, we premiered their culminating project: this awesome tSB video.
the Service Board – Summer Workshop 2012 from the Service Board on Vimeo.
With help from the rad women at Puget Sound Creative, tSB students learned to storyboard, film, interview and edit to produce the following documentary. Please enjoy, and if you’re inspired, consider making a donation to support more of this kind of programming and vote for tSB through the Chase Community Giving campaign!
Summer is drawing to a close and tSB is showcasing the amazing work Seattle youth have been doing throughout the greater Seattle area. During the summer months many teens are faced with a large amount of time and very few positive ways to fill it. tSB has answered this community issue by giving youth the opportunity to explore positive expression through art, volunteer opportunities and skateboarding. Now our youth want their story to be heard through the Art of tSB
Come hear and help share this story. Our youth have spent the summer learning the art of documentary films and have crafted their own films about their summer in tSB. They have been educated by Puget Sound Creative in every aspect of building a film including storyboarding, interview and marketing. The youth have filmed their skateboarding progression and the impact of their service learning projects around different Seattle skate parks. The summer has also included other art projects that will be on display including silk screening, bench making and glass blown pieces. In order to give the full spectrum of work in the arts, the youth were introduced to careers in the art field including touring the Mervin Manufacturing company and seeing how art and design make can come together to make snowboards!
The event is free and open to the public. There will be light hors d’ oeuvres and a short presentation to highlight the impact of the tSB Arts in Service program.
On Sunday we celebrated another great year of tSB with our Lu’au & Golden Boot Awards Ceremony at Nectar Lounge. After sharing a delicious meal prepared by Pai’s Foods (with help from tSB superstar volunteers), tSB grad Tyra and Summer participant James lead us through a great program.
We honored three incredible community members:
tSB Mentor, Josefino Sanchez Salazar
Volunteer photographer, Justin Chan
Board Member and Sponsor, EJ Kim of EJK Accounting & Tax
After the awards we continued to celebrate with the smooth grooves of the incredible Kore Ionz.
Mylinh also shared the impact that tSB’s programs have had on her:
Through this year tSB has been my rock by providing me endless support, my teddy bear when I needed a hug, my cushion when I fell, and my tissues when I had issues. The people in tSB are among some of the most amazing individuals I have ever met. Everyone has had a part in teaching me to love myself and to never compromise who I am.
Of course the stars of the night were our very own cover band, Baby Goodnight, who brought the house down with their renditions of Bad Boy and Fantastic Baby.
