Y E S
Youth - Environment - Seniors
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YES Goals
To use the environment as a catalyst for intergenerational cooperation and understanding
To make students and senior citizens aware of the environmental factors affecting them now and in the future
To engage members in meaningful first-hand experiences with the environment
To share students' concerns with the school and community though a yearly project
YES Club
c/o Valley Middle School
71 Oak Street
Oakland, New Jersey 07436
Judith Vihonski, Adviser
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About YES
YES (Youth-Environment-Seniors) is an intergenerational club formed at Valley Middle School in the fall of 1989. The group is unique because it is not limited to students in the middle school. It continually seeks older adults for cooperative learning experiences, project involvement, and environmental expertise. The club's goals include intergenerational cooperation, hands-on environmental projects, community awareness, and a yearly project.
The club has been recognized by Bergen County and the NJDEP for its cleanup efforts, and was featured in Time for Kids as "Heroes of the Planet."
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YES Meetings are held once a month at the school or environmental sites. Additional meetings are scheduled for the completion of a yearly project and/or grant work.
Field trips and guest speakers supplement the club's activities. Past trips include the New Jersey Aquarium, Baltimore Inner Harbor, the United Nations, Sandy Hook and Plymouth, MA (whale watching) and a sail on the Clearwater.
The club's cleanups have been funded by state and county sources and have included grants from Orange Rockland Utilities and PSE&G/BISEC, Fleet Bank, and donations from local businesses and fund raising activities (t-shirt and bake sales).