|
What is Tucson Youth Week?
It is a week-long series of fun, community events designed to bring attention and recognition to the ways in which youth are making a positive impact on our community every day. Our goals are to recognize and inspire both youth and adults to work together to change the world!
Why is Tucson Youth Week important to Every Voice in Action?
Our mission at Every Voice in Action is to ignite and support youth voice, infusing the community with the unique perspectives of youth. We understand that we alone cannot provide opportunities for all the young people of our community to communicate their ideas and bring about change, so we work to change the climate through advocacy so that others see the value of youth voice in their organizations. One of the ways that we at Every Voice in Action advocate for youth is through the events of Tucson Youth Week. We hope to make others more receptive to youth voice by improving the public perception of youth.
When is Tucson Youth Week?
The Kick-off Event for Tucson Youth Week is the Community Youth Recognition Event on Saturday, April 19, 2008, at Himmel Park from 12:00pm to 1:30pm. The Wrap-up will be National and Global Youth Service Day on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at various group service project locations throughout Pima County. Other notable events throughout the week include in-school film screenings and the Youth Voice Art & Media Showcase on Thursday, April 24, 2008, at the Berger Performing Arts Center from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The Showcase will display art work based on themes of social justice and social change in a visual art poster exposition presented in partnership with the Tucson Pima Arts Council. The Pima County Public Library is also holding a poetry contest to give youth a voice in the community around a social issue of importance to them. Winners will be invited to read their poetry at the Tucson Youth Week Community Youth Recognition Event.
Back to Top
What is the Community Message Board?
Each young person who was recognized for Tucson Youth Week’s Community Youth Recognition Event in 2007 had the opportunity to send in a 4” by 4” square with his or her personal message to the community. These squares contain inspirational quotes by famous men and women, original poetry and prose, extraordinary displays of artwork, and simple statements and affirmations. The Community Message Board is meant to be a visual display of the voices of the young people of Tucson. The youth who have contributed to it have also contributed in a positive way to their families, their schools, and their neighborhoods. The Board will be displayed around town as a testament to these positive actions, and a reminder that there are so many young people doing great things for our community.
How can I get my message out to the community?
After we receive your name for recognition at the 2008 Community Youth Recognition Event, we will contact you to submit your message to the community for inclusion in Tucson’s Community Message Board. The finished Message Board will include 4x4-inch “squares” from youth all over Tucson, and will be displayed in libraries, schools, and local businesses throughout town. Your message is completely up to you – it could be a drawing or painting, a photograph, a poem or quote, or anything else that you can fit into a 4” x 4” square! You can use color, and any media you want (paint, crayon, digital editing programs, anything) – just keep in mind that your message will be scanned and printed on a large banner, so it needs to be 2-dimensional.
Back to Top
Who should I recognize? How do I know if I’m eligible for recognition?
Young people can and do have an extraordinary impact on Tucson - not just through their high-profile achievements, but also through the positive contributions that the majority of youth make every day at home, school, and in the community. During Tucson Youth Week, we want to recognize and celebrate these contributions! The easiest way to submit is online at www.tucsonyouthweek.com!
- Please recognize a young person age 12-21 for their contribution – anything from babysitting younger siblings or helping a classmate with homework to volunteerism or activism.
- Parents are welcome to recognize their children, and youth are welcome to submit the names of their friends or themselves. This is a non-competitive process, and all youth will be recognized. There is no limit to the number of names a person can submit.
- If you would like to recognize a large group of youth, please call us at (520) 615-2100 before completing the form for details on how we can make it easier to submit multiple names.
Back to Top
How will the young people be recognized?
- Youth will be recognized at the Community Youth Recognition Event on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Himmel Park. Thousands will gather to recognize Tucson youth for positive contributions they have made to the community. The highlights of the event will be celebrity autographs, motivational speakers, opportunities to get involved, and the Community Message Board. Come enjoy free food, drink, music, and a drawing for prizes!
- Each young person being recognized can create a 4” x 4” square containing their personal message to the community. Submissions are quotes, photographs, drawings, paintings or poems that are compiled into a beautiful banner that travels to different locations in the community throughout the year. The artwork is framed with the names of all the young people whose names are submitted for Tucson Youth Week, making the banner a public and permanent testimonial of the youth and their message.
- Each young person receives a Certificate of Recognition, suitable for framing.
- In addition, a letter will be sent to the principal of each school represented, listing the young people from that school being recognized. We want to make sure everyone knows about the great contribution they are making to our community!
Back to Top
How do I enter the Poetry Contest?
The Pima County Public Library is hosting a county-wide youth poetry contest beginning February 11, 2008 and ending on March 21. This contest is intended to give youth a voice in the community around a social issue of importance to them. Winners will be invited to read their poetry at the Tucson Youth Week Community Youth Recognition Event on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Himmel Park. Five winners will be selected; one from each of the following categories: Kindergarten to grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, high school and college-age youth. Poems can be submitted online at http://www.library.pima.gov/teenzone/art/poetry/poetrycontest.cfm
Paper copies of poems must be typed, single-spaced on white letter-sized paper, accompanied by the poet’s name, age, address, phone number, teacher’s name, and school.
Entries should be mailed to:
Gina Macaluso
Joel D. Valdez Main Library
101 N. Stone Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701
Back to Top
How do I enter my artwork for the Youth Voice Art & Media Showcase?
We invite youth between the ages of 11-22 years of age to contribute art work based on themes of social justice and social change to contribute to a visual art poster exposition for Tucson Youth Week presented by Every Voice in Action in partnership with the Tucson Pima Arts Council. This is a great opportunity for Tucson and Pima County youth to exhibit innovative art work and further celebrate the contributions youth make in the community every day.
- Art work must illustrate the themes of social justice or social change
- Art work must be 2-D within the dimensions of 11’’X 17’’ to 20’’X 24’’
- Mediums include: pencil, ink, charcoal, watercolor, digital photographs, graphic art, traditional photographs, pastel, stencil, screen prints and acrylic on heavy weight paper, mat board or un-framed canvas.
- Submissions must include an artist statement or statement of intent to reflect the submission.
- Contact information: Full name, age, e-mail (optional) and return address
All submissions must be sent or delivered to:
Every Voice In Action, 2851 N. Country Club Road Tucson, AZ 85716
Deadline for submissions: 5:00 p.m. February 19th 2008.
You will be contacted no later than March 18th 2008 to confirm acceptance of your submission.
Back to Top
How do I sign up for a Group Service Project?
The wrap-up event for Tucson Youth Week will be a large group service project. Millions of youth participate in National & Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world. Locally a project of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, National & Global Youth Service Day supports youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and educates the public, the media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community leaders.
Young people will demonstrate the power of numbers on this day by doing several group service projects at various sites, including one large group site that will accommodate between 100 and 200 volunteers.
Call the Volunteer Center at 881-3300 to sign up!
Back to Top
|
