The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Students Design Organic Garden

December 01, 2011 by Brittany Baize

By Matt Neal, School Director - YES Prep Northside

As part of our commitment to serving our community, the PRIDE of YES Prep Northside rotates among various sites each six weeks to help improve our world.  We have mentored pre-schoolers at the YMCA, danced with senior citizens at the Wesley Community Center, painted over graffiti near an elementary school, and sorted canned goods at the Houston Food Bank. 

On November 16^th, some Northside students had the opportunity to help design an organic garden at a new small business in the middle of our neighborhood: Radical Eats.  Students turned old tires into colorful planters, watered organic herbs, and planted broccoli seedlings in compost soil.  We were rewarded with lessons about vegetarian cuisine as well as with pumpkin tamales! 

Continue reading Students Design Organic Garden...

--
0 Comments

Alumni Spotlight:  Lucia (Serna) Vasquez, YES Prep Class of 2001

December 01, 2011 by Tenesha Villanueva

Lucia (Serna) Vasquez graduated from YES Prep in 2001 (our first-ever graduating class!).  She has been a proud member of the United States Air Force for 7 years where she works in Public Health/Deployment Medicine and is stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. 

Lucia on her experience at YES Prep…

What is your favorite YES Prep memory?

I have two:

Sophomore Spring Trip - The bus ride to New York City.  We convinced the teachers to play a mixed CD one of the guys brought along.  They kept flipping through the songs for an “appropriate” one and finally left it on “Wanna Be a Baller”.  The whole bus was singing along – including our bus driver!

Sophomore Christmas Program – Mr. Barbic got El Mercado Del Sol to let us use their empty atrium to have our Christmas

Continue reading Alumni Spotlight:  Lucia (Serna) Vasquez, YES Prep Class of 2001...

--
0 Comments

Alumni Spotlight: Mark Medina Jr., YES Prep Southeast Class of 2006

December 01, 2011 by Tenesha Villanueva

Mark Anthony Medina, Jr. graduated from YES Prep Southeast in 2006.  Mark has been a proud member of the United States Marine Corps for 2 years where he currently serves as a Data Networking Specialist and is stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. 

Mark on his experience at YES Prep…

What is your favorite YES Prep memory?

My favorite memories at YES Prep were always in the dance room. My participation in the dance program greatly enhanced my experience at YES Prep.  The one that stands out the most is when I broke the mirror during a late night rehearsal.

Name the teacher/staff member who had the greatest impact on you and why.

The staff member that had the biggest impact on my life was Ms. Lisa Castillo, our dance instructor. She saw my potential as a dancer and invested

Continue reading Alumni Spotlight: Mark Medina Jr., YES Prep Southeast Class of 2006...

--
0 Comments

Direct Energy Friends & Family Offer

November 30, 2011 by Brittany Baize

This year Direct Energy has donated $1,500 to sponsor a YES Prep student for the 2011-12 year.  In addition, they are offering a special friends and family offer to the YES Prep family and YES Prep supporters.  Check out their flyer or click for more details on the friends and family program (use offer code "family" and reference "YESPREP") or here for their pre-paid energy program.  For each new enrollment, Direct Energy will donate $25 to YES Prep and an additional $150 for every ten enrollments.  Direct Energy is proud to have partnered with us to provide electricity options at affordable rates, and we appreciate their support of our students.

To find out how you can sponsor a YES Prep student, visit YES Prep Scholars Society.

Continue reading Direct Energy Friends & Family Offer...

--
0 Comments

[Five Reasons to Work at YES Prep] Reason One: Our People are United to do Whatever It Takes

November 13, 2011 by Jason Bernal

Everyone at YES Prep has heard me say over and over again how much I love this organization.  The mission to get 100% of our students to graduate from 4-year colleges and universities, the students who work so hard to take hold of that opportunity, the families who support them through seven years of rigorous instruction, and the impact we make on this city have kept me here for over 13 years.

What I left out of that list, what makes me look forward to coming to work every day, and what I believe makes YES Prep the “Best Place to Work” in Houston is the staff that makes the jaw-dropping results possible.  I am lucky enough to work with the same like-minded individuals who make this organization what it is today. This consistency, this oneness of purpose, this like-mindedness and

Continue reading [Five Reasons to Work at YES Prep] Reason One: Our People are United to do Whatever It Takes...

--
3 Comments