Posts Tagged as "youth"

Corrupted Adolescence

April 3, 2017 /

The kids of this new neighborhood only cared about his street credibility: where he was from and what drugs he took. Teachers only cared about his prior education and how his grades were above average. This boy will refuse to make friends and keep to himself, focusing strictly on education. Until mom's too busy working to notice his 3.0 grade point average or achievements. The boy then realizes he has no achievements, or friends. His grades don't bring that release of dopamine anymore. His teenage mind is his worst enemy.

Youth Advocates Look to Boost Civic Engagement in Communities of Color

March 30, 2017 /

According to the study, “Unequal Voices, Part II,” released by the statewide advocacy group Advancement Project, California’s Asian-American and Latino adult populations are vastly underrepresented in most political activities, while whites are overrepresented. From donations to petitions, voters of color are less likely than white counterparts to engage with politicians and campaigns. This pattern is reflected in both the older adult population and millennials aged 18-34, suggesting it won’t simply erode over time, said John Dobard, manager of Political Voice at the Advancement Project. Such pervasive racial disparities are particularly problematic considering 70 percent of the 80 million young adults entering the California electorate between now and 2030 will be people of color. Advocates warn of the need to restructure the traditional engagement model to be more reflective of the state’s majority-minority makeup.

Reversing the Stigma Around Continuation Schools

March 13, 2017 /

Students at Yosemite do the same work as students at non-continuation schools like Golden Valley or Merced High. The only major difference I noticed was Yosemite students don’t receive homework. I think this might be for the better - and a study by Concordia University showed that homework does not help students effectively in just about any way.

We’Ced Weighs In: Anaheim Police Brutality Incident

February 28, 2017 /

By We’Ced Youth Media Image via Claudia Gonzalez   Editor’s Note: Last week, video surfaced of an altercation between an off-duty police officer and a 13-year -old boy in Anaheim. Read More

Boys & Girls Club Now Open to Merced Youth on Saturdays

February 17, 2017 /

Above: (Photo by Hannah Esqueda) Members of the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County play games during a rainy afternoon. Read More

#IfICouldVote: Looking to the next wave of youth voters

November 7, 2016 /

Part of the problem is indifference, said 16-year-old Cheng Vang, a student at Buhach Colony High School in Atwater. While this election cycle has been full of turmoil and drama, many of his friends and classmates don’t regularly follow politics and therefore don’t feel a personal connection to any of the issues on the ballot. If the voting age were lowered to 16, however, Vang said youth would be more likely to pay attention and start forming consistent voting habits.

We’Ced Presents: Meet your Merced Candidates- Christopher Ramirez

November 4, 2016 /

I like to bring forth a stronger investment in our youth. One idea I have is to work with Downtown businesses to create a summer youth internship program with the city. Often our youth have nothing to do in the summer; and I want to make sure we are investing in them and keeping them off the street especially from those members of our community who are looking to recruit them into gangs.

Crushed Hopes and Empty Chairs: A Letter to Merced Law Enforcement Officials

October 27, 2016 /

I understand officials have lives of their own or may have pre-scheduled events, but notifying the community of your absence would be the respectful thing to do, especially when you claim to want to be transparent with the community.

Schizophrenia: It’s the disease, not the person

September 30, 2016 /

He was always super fun to be around, one of the kindest and open-minded people I knew, but then he changed. I remember the last day I saw him he was a completely different person. He was unrecognizable. No longer happy. Always mad. I could not understand why he didn’t want to be himself anymore.

The diverse faces of Merced’s future

September 22, 2016 /

Perhaps most importantly, the Youth Council provides Merced’s teens with an opportunity to represent their fellow youth. By building up their leadership skills, the program is empowering many to consider how they’ll wield that voice in the future.