What Students Say
2020
"YAPA’s program, as a part of the COVID economics and educational impacts cohort, opened my eyes to real problems happening in my own community. Through the support and resources that YAPA’s mentors and students provided me, I was also able to develop skills like effective researching, communication, and public speaking — all while developing a deeper passion for local advocacy" -- Ishaani Dayal (Police Reform Group), Monta Vista High, Junior 2020
"Participating in YAPA opened my eyes to the wide world of advocacy, and revealed to me just how much people can accomplish when they work together, even in a small group. It didn’t just teach me valuable lessons; it provided invaluable experiences for me to learn those lessons firsthand." -- Dylan Yang (Mental Health Group), Monta Vista High, Junior 2020
"As a member of the mental health advocacy group, I learned how to effectively advocate for certain areas and how to actually successfully work towards those goals. I also became more aware of the issues in my community, and how to get involved." -- Maggie Dong (Mental Health Group), Branham High, Sophomore 2020
"I learned the importance of valuing the opinion of the opposition and doing your best to understand their goal. I also learned that pressuring politicians directly via email or attending their events is one of the most effective forms of advocacy. My viewpoint didn't change overall, but I ended up understanding the beliefs of the opposition by the end of the camp."
-- Sunjay Murali (Prop 16 Group), Washington High, Junior 2020
2019
"I learned about government and politics from various mentors and government officials. I developed new skills for public speaking, and got more involved in my community while advocating for change. I also met many new people who were fun to work with as we learned about issues affecting our community." -- Tiana Zhou , Mission San Jose High, Sophomore (2019)
"I learned many things from YAPA: On campaigning, I learned how to create a resonant message and reach a strong target audience. On policy, I learned what goes into making a good piece of legislation, as well as the tools and groups available for supporting efforts on these matters. And finally, on networking, I learned how to contact important community figures, create lasting impacts, and ultimately build mutually beneficial relationships with the people around me." -- Nelson Mu, Monta Vista High, Junior (2019)
"...We discussed problem-solving methods and applied them to real-life scenarios such as passing ordinances. I have learned so much about issues in Cupertino and brainstormed potential solutions to them as well as taken initiative with my group and contacted city council members to bring forward our thoughts and concerns to hopefully resolve them." -- Alyssa Yao, Cupertino High, Sophomore (2019)
"Participating in the YAPA minicamp was an incredible opportunity to advance my interests as the program provided me the skills I need to advocate for the issues I am passionate about in addition to giving me access to a vast network of distinguished advocates and public servants." -- Vaibhav Rangan, Lynbrook High, Freshman (2019)
2019+ 2020