Bringing Back Community
It's time that we remember just how tremendous even the smallest act of kindness is. One smile, one act of holding the door or saying "How are you?" and genuinely hearing the response... It does not take much, but it matters. Your actions speak volumes and I'm out to prove it to you.
So, check out below for ways that you can get back to your community, rebuild confidence and come to a place that welcomes you simply for being you.
The Artemis Collective
The Artemis Collective is a group of women-entreprenuers from the Bay Area who have come together to host seminars and meetings for local high schoolers to empower, inspire and uplift the next generation.
Meetings are held twice each month, once with a core group and once as a special seminar.
Applications are currently open for both teen protègès and adult mentors.
Kindness Coalition
Kindness. It has the ability to completely transform someone. Simply put, kindness is a superpower. The Kindness Coalition is a group of individuals just looking to support where they can. It might mean making blankets for Project Linus, making cards for patients in the hospital or making floral arrangements for assisted living communities, it means getting involved, lending a hand and being there.
The Kindness Coalition Meets on the first Thursday of each month.
Garden For Good
Five acres is a lot of land. Maybe not in comparison to other properties, but it is enough to begin a project I've often dreamt of: feeding the hungry in our community. On the property, there is a large plot of irrigated land, land that once housed a large garden. With a few helping hands and partners at the Contra Costa County Food Bank, we will create a garden filled with edibles to help do our part to ensure that everyone has a place at the table.
Gardening efforts are year-round with major turn over happening in the fall and spring for winter and summer harvests.
Chessmates
Chess is a game that comes with an enormous number of benefits from improving memory (even warding off dementia!) to increasing planning skills, creativity and even the art of developing the ability to see from another person's perspective. Chess has even been found to help in improving ADHD and anxiety. Sounds pretty awesome, right?
A local senior housing community is partnering with us for monthly chess meets in the park. This seemingly small act of meeting with the community to learn more about chess while simultaneously working to ward off dementia, build creativity, and the ability to see from another's point of view will help to ensure that our community is growing together.
Chessmates meets on the second Tuesday of each month at a local park.
Events Team
All large events will take place off school property, and are done with the hope of inspiring the community. From the Global Cardboard Challenge this fall to the hope of creating a Winter Wonderland for underpriviledged youth, and other activities throughout the year. If planning is something you enjoy, if you are focused on small details and love engaging with people, this could be the team for you!
Events meetings can happen both in-person and virtually with the exception of day-of activities. All events will take place in the East Bay Area.
Fundraising
Many of our programs require a significant amount of funding to make them as wonderful as they are. In order to keep the magic happening, I would love to create a fundraising team to help with grant writing and seeking out donations within the community.
Fundraising committee can meet in-person or virtually to create plans for how to best meet the needs of Voyager Academy.
The Artemis Collective
The Artemis Collective is a group of women-entreprenuers from the Bay Area who have come together to host seminars and meetings for local high schoolers to empower, inspire and uplift the next generation.
Meetings are held twice each month, once with a core group and once as a special seminar.
Applications are currently open for both teen protègès and adult mentors.
Kindness Coalition
Kindness. It has the ability to completely transform someone. Simply put, kindness is a superpower. The Kindness Coalition is a group of individuals just looking to support where they can. It might mean making blankets for Project Linus, making cards for patients in the hospital or making floral arrangements for assisted living communities, it means getting involved, lending a hand and being there.
The Kindness Coalition Meets on the first Thursday of each month.
Garden For Good
Five acres is a lot of land. Maybe not in comparison to other properties, but it is enough to begin a project I've often dreamt of: feeding the hungry in our community. On the property, there is a large plot of irrigated land, land that once housed a large garden. With a few helping hands and partners at the Contra Costa County Food Bank, we will create a garden filled with edibles to help do our part to ensure that everyone has a place at the table.
Gardening efforts are year-round with major turn over happening in the fall and spring for winter and summer harvests.
Chessmates
Chess is a game that comes with an enormous number of benefits from improving memory (even warding off dementia!) to increasing planning skills, creativity and even the art of developing the ability to see from another person's perspective. Chess has even been found to help in improving ADHD and anxiety. Sounds pretty awesome, right?
A local senior housing community is partnering with us for monthly chess meets in the park. This seemingly small act of meeting with the community to learn more about chess while simultaneously working to ward off dementia, build creativity, and the ability to see from another's point of view will help to ensure that our community is growing together.
Chessmates meets on the second Tuesday of each month at a local park.
Book Clubs
Reading Rendezvous is a monthly book club that strives to create a brave space for caregivers to gather to discuss strategies for navigating life with children. Books are chosen each month due to popularity providing us with a jumping point to discuss ideas brought forth in the books.
Reading Rendezvous meets on the fourth Saturday of each month at Clayton Community Library.
At the time of this meeting, children are able to participate in their own book club, Next Chapter Read Aloud Club. Children will have a story that centers around a character trait and will complete an art project allowing caregivers the opportunity to engage in important conversation.
Farm Fitness
Physical activity is as important for caregivers as it is for their children. When you incorporate a fitness routine into your daily life, you help your child to see and develop positive habits increasing the likelihood that they will remain physically active as adults.
Being outdoors for 30 minutes or more helps you to recover from stress, boosts your immune system, decreases blood pressure, and can even improve your sleep!
So, come join us and our herd of animals for barn boot camp and goat yoga! We'll have Farm Fun classes operating at the same time for children to participate in. All proceeds from Farm Fit and Farm Fun classes support the care of animals at the farm.
Animal Alliance
A program for children 7 and up who are interested in learning about animals and working with them regularly. Each family involved in the program will have the ability to regularly help out in our barns with feeding and caring for animals. We will have special guests come and talk about their line of work with animals from veterinarians to a paleontologist, animal behavioralists, and much more.
The Animal Alliance will meet a minimum of twice each month with one meeting being a field trip to hike to witness transitioning seasons, specific animals/ insects, or to a location like the Lindsay Museum.
Come learn, explore and build teamwork in caring for spectacular creatures.
Fundraising
Many of our programs require a significant amount of funding to make them as wonderful as they are. In order to keep the magic happening, I would love to create a fundraising team to help with grant writing and seeking out donations within the community.
Fundraising committee can meet in-person or virtually to create plans for how to best meet the needs of Voyager Academy.
Events Team
All large events will take place off school property, and are done with the hope of inspiring the community. From the Global Cardboard Challenge this fall to the hope of creating a Winter Wonderland for underpriviledged youth, and other activities throughout the year. If planning is something you enjoy, if you are focused on small details and love engaging with people, this could be the team for you!
Events meetings can happen both in-person and virtually with the exception of day-of activities. All events will take place in the East Bay Area.
INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED?
If reading about a volunteer program made you think, "I can do that!" then I invite you to fill out the volunteer application and voyage with us. Your help can make all the difference.
Thank you for being who you are in our community. Thank you for your expereince, your willingness to engage and your enthusiasm for bringing back community.
Not quite ready to jump into a volunteer role, but like what you see?
There are still ways to help and get involved.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Tell your friends and family about what you have learned about Voyager, you may not be able to jump in now, but maybe your words can inspire someone else.
DONATE
Have an old chess board sitting around? Unused craft supplies? A tractor? Or even a couple of dollars? Voyager is a 501c3 charity and appreciates your commitment to help our growing community.
Let's Chat
Have an idea for a way that you can contribute that isn't listed? Want to talk more about new program offerings?
Send an email to: cesyli@voyageracademy.org
Note from Cesyli, Founder of Voyager Academy:
One day, I hope that Voyager will be able to expand our ability to serve our community with a large creativity museum downtown, but until we are ready to take on that move, I'm going to hold a place for the vision here. Please contact me if it speaks to you and if you would like to be part of the organizing team for SPARQ.
Proposal for SPARQ
