Youth Development of FSRV

10/24/2024

🥤 Smoothies at the Movies = Success! 🥤

Last night, we had a blast partnering with our friends at the Melrose Library for Smoothies at the Movies! 🎥It was an evening full of games, treats, and connection. Our Youth Development Manager, Megan Alpine Fsrv, and YD Specialist, Austin, joined local healthcare workers to engage with families and youth for a fun-filled night of educational activities.

In a delightful twist, we had a surprise guest— Cheri Hartman the founder of Youth Development herself! It was a great opportunity for the team to reconnect and reflect on what truly matters: supporting our youth! 💙✨

10/24/2024

👻 Time is running out to join the Spooky Sprint! 🕸️

Don’t get left in the dust—register before it’s too late! ⏳🎃

👉🏽runsignup.com/Race/VA/Roanoke/SpookySprint5KRun

10/23/2024

🔍 Defining Empathy & Leadership 🔍

This week, the Youth Development team is diving into some powerful questions with our youth: How do you define empathy and leadership? Exploring how these two concepts intertwine often leads to eye-opening discussions (and sometimes debates) about what leadership truly means to our local youth, and how empathy plays (or sometimes doesn’t play) a role in their daily lives.

By reflecting on these values, our youth are gaining deeper insights into the kind of leaders they want to become—and how empathy can shape their leadership journey✨

10/11/2024

This week, our Youth Development program took a deep dive into the concept of community. We challenged our youths to think critically and reflect on some powerful questions:

💡 What shapes or makes a community?
💡 What impacts a community, and how does it impact YOU?
💡 Can you always choose the community you’re part of, or how it affects you?

Through these thought-provoking discussions, our youths explored how they can play a more active role in the communities they hope to serve this year through community service learning. We also encouraged them to look inward and reflect on the communities they’re already part of, recognizing their roles and responsibilities within those spaces.

This was more than just a conversation—it was an eye-opening opportunity for self-reflection and action. 💡✨

We’re so excited to see the impact our youth will have as they continue to grow as leaders in their communities!

10/07/2024

🎨 Communication Circle Chaos! 🎨

This week in Youth Development, we took our communication skills to the next level with an activity that had everyone laughing and shouting!

The way it works is that our Youths, non-verbally paired together, must then work together to "send" and "receive" information and come to the same resolution: a clear picture. While one youth describe what they see on their paper, the other must draw it to the best of their ability. This got competitive... fast! 🤣

Through all the fun, we learned that context is everything—what seems crystal clear to one person can look totally different to another. The best part? Every drawing was uniquely hilarious, and the challenge sparked great teamwork and reflection on how we communicate!

This was more than just a drawing exercise—it was a hands-on lesson in understanding, listening, and working together. 💪✨

10/01/2024

🌟 Tower Building Fun with Spaghetti and Marshmallows! 🌟

Last week, our team and teens dove into build mode! With only uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows at their disposal, they raced against the clock to create the Tallest Tower.

As with all good things, chaos was definitely part of the fun! 😄 But through all the laughs and unexpected tower tumbles, our students zeroed in on their ability to truly work as a team. When reflecting after it was all said and done, almost every group noted that the more they slowed down to brainstorm their designs, the higher their towers reached.

This was because communication is/was key! They learned that chatting it up, sharing ideas, and playing to each other's strengths—like hand coordination, creativity, and even some sketching skills for quick blueprints—made all the difference.

It was a blast watching them collaborate, innovate, and maybe snack a bit on those marshmallows too!

Thank you to our incredible students at Roanoke City Public Schools and after schools, we can't wait to keep this sort of educational fun up for the rest of the year!

09/16/2024

👻 Ghastly Price Alert! 👻

The clock is ticking… 🕰️ Sign up for the spine-chilling Spooky Sprint before October 1st to run (or haunt) for just $30! 🎃🏃‍♂️

After that, prices rise from the dead! 🧟‍♂️ So grab your spot before it’s too late—whether you’re creeping through in costume or bringing your furry fiend, this 5k promises thrills and chills. 💀🐾

Don’t let the price hike catch you—secure your $30 ticket today!
👇
https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Roanoke/SpookySprint5KRun

09/05/2024

Come out this Sunday to the Operation H.E.R.: Strong Minds, Strong Girls Mental Health Summit! This event is FREE to all young women from 4th to 12th grade, adults welcome as well! We hope to see you there for all the fun! 🥳

Hey Girl Scouts, you’re invited to an amazing event coming up on September 8 in Roanoke, Virginia hosted by Girl Scouts of VA Skyline! 🤩💖💪

This FREE event, 2024 Operation H.E.R: Strong Minds, Strong Girls Mental Health Summit, will be an opportunity for girls and adults to come together to learn more about mental health and learn skills to strengthen resilience.

Register by August 30 to participate👇
https://m.facebook.com/gsofvaskyline/

08/28/2024

Welcome to the Youth Development Specialists of FSRV official page! We're often asked about our work, and the answer is that we’re proudly "a little bit of everything"! Our team is dedicated to teen outreach, mentorship, and collaborating with Roanoke City Schools and various afterschool programs across Star City. We focus on empowering youth and facilitating social-emotional learning both in and out of the classroom. Our goal is to support and uplift the children in our community, ensuring they have the tools and guidance they need to thrive.

Stay tuned as we roll into the new school year for more updates!

08/28/2024

This is the sort of creative, reflective fun we love bringing to the community! Here's to another successful year at West End Center For Youth, Inc.!