Leading the Way in March @ VOBS

Greetings Partners & Friends,

Today we are gearing up for another late winter storm here in the Twin Cities. Winter was slow to start, and now it seems slow to yield, but we can weather and even rejoice in the storm. Skis, snowshoes, chopper mitts and mouse boots still stand at the ready, waiting for the next group of students who will connect with nature and each other. As you know very well, meeting the needs of students, come what may, takes planning and effort.

Throughout the winter, in countless conversations with our partners and peers in the region, we heard two common themes: capacity and commitment.

From schools to non-profit agencies, we all feel "the pinch." The pinch isn't always money or funding. The pinch is time, staff, resource. Educators and administrators strive to give youth and young adults what they deserve: a chance to succeed. This striving takes ingenuity and effort all the days of the week and more. As our friends at YIPA point out, some people "just don't understand the value of youth intervention," and it can be disheartening and frustrating for us when reduced funding threatens our efforts or legislative priorities seem compromised at best. But your commitment to change, dedication to students and sheer tenacity are heartening.

In the midst of stretched capacity, you continue to innovate on behalf of those you serve, finding creative ways to close the achievement gap and prepare students for challenges in life, school and career. Despite budget cuts, Upward Bound programs at the University of MInnesota and Metro State continue to prioritize college readiness through experiential education-- building student skills through school year classes, summer adventures and campus visits. Our friends at Ujamaa Place continue to graduate black men from intensive, hands-on construction training. The boys and men of New Lens Urban Mentoring Society were on hand for Melvin Carter's inauguration as St Paul's first black mayor; in Carter, thanks to New Lens, these boys see themselves. Our partners at Youthlink just opened brand new housing with Project for Pride in Living, welcoming a new cohort of young adults starting fresh with new digs and new jobs. Washington Tech launched their first ever STRIVE program, and Open World Learning Community now runs a STRIVE Grads program concurrent with year 5 of their STRIVE program. Progress abounds! But we know this progress comes at a cost to the educators and administrators who make it happen.

Here at VOBS, our Program Team--you know some of us quite well!-- is making an effort to balance hard work with play. We know that play (what adults call "discovery") is good for our students, and we're making an effort to walk our talk. We've turned our weekly meeting into an experiential workshop. Diane Miller, your go-to for program agreements and invoicing, has an advanced degree in ex ed, and she's bringing this expertise and her passion for Spartan racing to our meetings. The photo above is post-challenge: writing prompts, burpees, lunges, wall sits and memorizing Kurt Hahn quotes! Adventure and challenge for self-discovery.

February, the month of love, may be over, but at VOBS, we value compassion year round. We would like to remind our partners that we offer a very accessible way to play, mitigate frustration and stasis, and show your staff some love. We are always ready to recharge educators with relevant outdoor professional development. Your team can come out and remember why they do what they do. Nature is our go-to catalyst for reset and reflection and spring is a natural time to revive, refresh and get the blood pumping. Celebrate your staff with an opportunity to engage in self-care. Climb, paddle, orienteer...we can offer partially subsidized tuition to bring your team together for a day of adventure and Insight.

Late last fall, Kara Schommer, who heads up the Education Team at Neighborhood House approached us. She wanted to find a way refocus her hard-working staff, remind them of their strengths, give them an opportunity to identify new assets and have fun. With Kara's help, we crafted a Winter Orienteering Adventure at Lebanon Hills. Staff worried about getting up too early, being cold and trying something new, but, as you can see from the lead photo, they had a blast recharging and building community.

If you'd like to revive your hard-working staff this spring, please reach out:

marlais.brand@vobs.org | 651-401-0641

Thanks for your commitment to our community,

Marlais