Our mission is to inspire inner city youth through personal connections to the natural world, teaching self expression through the art of photography.
| Our mission is to inspire inner city youth through personal connections to the natural world, teaching self expression through the art of photography. |
| Project Goals: |
| To provide Latino youth with skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them for self-directed, contributing, and productive lives. To provide participants life changing experiences in a wilderness environment and capture the essence of these experiences with skilled photography. To inspire and educate the communities (that are the home of the program participants) about the importance of our natural resources and wilderness with the images created by their children . To help create future stewards of our precious natural resources for generations to come, in communities traditionally unfamiliar with concept of wilderness and conservation |
| Magic Moments |
| Our inquiry-based experience model is student-centered. It allows students to drive the course of the program through their own vision with help of a camera lens. This results in many magic moments, when students make their own connections to the natural world through observation, collaboration and the creation of art. These moments transform our students' relationships with each other and the natural world, and encourage them to become active stewards for the environment and leaders within their own communities. |
| Exposure to a New World |
| Many Latino inner city youth have never been out of their communities to experience the wonders of their state and nation. In order for Latino's to be future stewards of our future, Latino youth need to be exposed to opportunities and environments that they will inherit. The physical focus of the IFBW Youth Outreach program will be California, Yosemite National Park and environs. This region offers world-class scenery, ideal for photography, and environmental relevance: since all Californians rely on the Sierra Nevada for drinking water and food production. |
| A Sense of Accomplishment through Hard Work |
| The field of photography is a perfect venue for teaching expression and keeping an indelible memory alive when these children go back to their communities. Yosemite provides some of the most challenging yet beautiful backdrops for photographers from around the world. With hard work, students will produce publishable images that they and their community will be proud of. |
| Creating a Community of Goal-Seeking Latino Youth |
| Participants will join a community that cares about their future. All IFBW participants will be eligible for college scholarships and internships for Alumni to sustain the community of fellow Latinos that share same passion for the environment and self expression. |
| Positive Media for the Community |
| Our media is filled with images of Latino youth involved in gangs, dropping out of school and scrawling graffiti generally casting a pall over our community. IFBW will provide a forum for Latino Youth to produce beautiful images that can be displayed in their communities, art galleries , showings and in the media general, as examples of what our youth can do if given the opportunity. |
At Risk Youth Outreach Project: Photography in Yosemite
"I asked one of my fifth-grade students how often he and his family get to go to the beach. 'We've gone to the beach once,' was his answer. Without your scholarship help, our school of 75% AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) kids would be hard pressed to come up with the tuition simply through fundraising. These are the kinds of kids we should all be willing to help."
Doris Estudillo, Fifth-grade teacher, Flowery Elementary School, Sonoma, California
SOURCE: NATUREBRIDGE
For more information contact
Ken Mendoza
Phone : 510-459-5799
email ken@imagesforabetterworld.org
IFBW is getting ready to accept 501(c)(3) tax deductable donations to the launch our program. Please contact us if you would consider being a part of this exciting program.
IFBW has a detailed program plan document available for potential donors and program partners. Please contact IFBW for more information.