YMCA News Archive

Youth Voted in Mock Presidential Primary Election During Youth Day at the Capitol

jeffrey.needham — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 21:38:34 +0000

Youth Voted in Mock Presidential Primary Election During Youth Day at the Capitol jeffrey.needham Tue, 02/25/2020 - 15:38

Minneapolis, MN – The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, partnered with several other youth-serving organizations to bring more than 300 students in grades 6-12 to the Minnesota State Capitol to visit with legislators about issues of concern to them today.

A mock presidential primary election was held and the results are:

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party:

Bernie Sanders with 51 percent
Andrew Yang with 12 percent
Amy Klobuchar with 11 percent

Republican Party:

Donald J. Trump with 25 percent

Youth also lead workshops on advocacy strategies and best practices, visited with several of Minnesota’s constitutional officers, and learned about additional civic engagement opportunities for youth.

Youth Day at the Capitol is co-sponsored by the YMCA, Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, MN Alliance with Youth, YWCA of Minneapolis, Minnesota Community Education Association and the Minnesota History Center.

About the YMCA of the North

The YMCA of the North is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Established 164 years ago, the Ys provide life-strengthening services across the greater Twin Cities metro region, southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin communities. The 29 Y locations and program sites, eight overnight camps, 10 day camps, and more than 90 child care sites engage more than 370,000 men, women and children of all ages, incomes and backgrounds. To learn more about the Y’s mission and work, visit www.ymcamn.org.

Youth Day at the Capitol Brings 300 Youth Together to Practice Advocacy on February 25

jeffrey.needham — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 15:00:57 +0000

Youth Day at the Capitol Brings 300 Youth Together to Practice Advocacy on February 25 jeffrey.needham Fri, 02/21/2020 - 09:00

Minneapolis, MN – The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, will partner with several other youth-serving organizations to bring 300 students in grades 6-12 to the Minnesota State Capitol to visit with legislators about issues of concern to them on February 25.

Different than many other “days on the hill,” Youth Day at the Capitol is unique in that participants identify local issues of concern, then practice advocating for those issues in small-group meetings with their local legislator(s).

“Our goal is to help young people understand that elected officials work for the people, including young people,” said Amy Anderson, senior program director for the YMCA Center for Youth Voice. “Young people from Minneapolis will likely end up focusing on a different issue than young people from Big Lake or Duluth, for example. The common thread is that every young person will have the opportunity to meet with local community elected official(s), shake his or her hand and discuss hometown issues. That is a very powerful experience.”

To start the day, members of the Minnesota Youth Council will lead workshops on advocacy strategies and best practices. At 12:15 p.m., all participants will march to the State Capitol and gather in the Capitol Rotunda, where they will have the chance to vote in a mock presidential primary election, visit with several of Minnesota’s constitutional officers, and learn about additional civic engagement opportunities for youth. They will spend the afternoon meeting with legislators.

Youth Day at the Capitol is co-sponsored by the YMCA, MN Alliance with Youth, YWCA of Minneapolis, Minnesota Community Education Association and the Minnesota History Center.

WHO:
YMCA of the North

WHAT:
Youth Day at the Capitol 2020

WHERE:
Minnesota History Center and Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, MN

WHEN:
Tuesday, February 25

Media Invited:

Tuesday, February 25, 9 a.m. - Noon at the Minnesota History Center for the advocacy workshops or Noon - 3 p.m. for civic activities in the Capitol Rotunda.

About the YMCA of the North

YMCA CycleHealth Hosts Sixth Annual Kidarod to Promote Kids’ Health February 22

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 15:35:36 +0000

YMCA CycleHealth Hosts Sixth Annual Kidarod to Promote Kids’ Health February 22 jeffrey.needham Mon, 02/17/2020 - 09:35

Maple Grove, MN – CycleHealth, a kid-powered wellness initiative of the YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, will host the sixth annual Kidarod at Fish Lake Regional Park on Saturday, February 22, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Racing includes kid-only or kid plus adult, with afternoon and nighttime glow racing options.

For the first time in American history, kids have a shorter life expectancy than their parents due to factors such as a sedentary lifestyle and declining participation in organized sports. The Kidarod, the nation’s largest winter adventure race for kids ages seven to 17, is embraced by pediatricians in more than 50 Twin Cities pediatric clinics as a way to motivate kids to be more active. The event also marks the conclusion of CycleHealth’s Kidarod Training Challenge, which encourages kids and families to get active outside in the weeks leading up to the race.

The Kidarod is a part of an adventure race series partnership between YMCA CycleHealth and Three River Parks District. The Kidarod includes trail running, hill-climbing, hiking, obstacles, sliding and more. The event will attract upwards of 1,000 participants and will feature fun activities in addition to the race, including snowshoeing and fat bike demos, plus a chance to meet a team of husky sled dogs. For more information, visit cyclehealth.org.

“We are thrilled to provide unique wellness opportunities for kids,” said Glen Gunderson, president and CEO of the Y. “When we empower young people to develop healthy habits early, we set them up for future success.”

WHO:
YMCA of the North CycleHealth and Three Rivers Parks District

WHAT:
Sixth Annual Kidarod

WHERE:
Fish Lake Regional Park at 14900 Bass Lake Road in Maple Grove, MN 55311

WHEN:
Saturday, February 22 at 4:00-7:00 p.m.

About the YMCA of the North

YMCA of the North Hosts Google’s Be Internet Awesome Workshops to Teach Parents How to Keep Their Kids Safe Online on Safer Internet Day February 11

jeffrey.needham — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 20:31:03 +0000

YMCA of the North Hosts Google’s Be Internet Awesome Workshops to Teach Parents How to Keep Their Kids Safe Online on Safer Internet Day February 11 jeffrey.needham Thu, 02/06/2020 - 14:31

Minneapolis, MN – In celebration of Safer Internet Day on February 11, the YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, will host 20 Google Be Internet Awesome workshops to teach parents how to instill healthy and responsible Internet habits in their children.

These February 11 events are in response to mounting requests from parents wanting help with establishing safe and healthy Internet and social media practices as online and technology use among children continue to rise.

The workshops will feature discussion-based, parent-to-parent conversations about how to help children be safe, smart and positive online. Families will learn to teach their children how to communicate responsibly, understand real from fake in the face of phishing and scams, build strong passwords, be positive and kind online, and discuss questionable content as a family. Parents will receive free bilingual resources, answers to questions about online safety and digital citizenship, and tools and information to help facilitate discussions at home.

See below for locations and times on Tuesday, February 11.

Bel Air Elementary School
1800 5th St. NW
New Brighton 55112
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m.

Briarhill Neighborhood Center
7025 Woodland Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55346
Tuesday, February 11 at 4:30 p.m.

Burnsville YMCA
13850 Portland Ave
Burnsville MN 55337
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Granada Lake Neighborhood Center
3915 Granada Way N
Oakdale, MN 55128
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Harold Mezile YMCA Youth and Teen Enrichment Center
1711 W Broadway Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55411
Tuesday, February 11 at 1:30 p.m.

Island Lake Elementary School (Gym B)
3555 Victoria St N
Shoreview, MN 55126
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m.

Maple Pond Neighborhood Center
1854 Beebe Rd
Maplewood MN 55109
Tuesday, February 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Maplewood Community YMCA
2100 White Bear Ave
Maplewood, MN 55109
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Minnetonka Heights Neighborhood Center
5809 County Road 101
Minnetonka, MN 55345
Tuesday, February 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Montreal Courts Neighborhood Center
401 Labore Rd
Little Canada MN 55117
Tuesday, February 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Mounds View Community Center
5394 Edgewood Dr.
Mounds View, MN 55112
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

New Hope YMCA
7601 42nd Ave N
New Hope, MN 55427
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Pike Like Kindergarten Center
2101 14th St NW
New Brighton, MN 55112
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Pinewood Elementary School
5500 Quincy St
Mounds View, MN 55112
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Shoreview YMCA
3760 Lexington Ave N
Shoreview, MN 55126
Tuesday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m.

Snail Lake Elementary School
350 Hwy 96 W
Shoreview, MN 55126
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Sunnyside Elementary School
2070 County Road H
New Brighton, MN 55112
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Turtle Lake Elementary
1141 Lepak Court
Shoreview, MN 55126
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Valentine Hills Elementary
1770 County Road E2 West
Arden Hills, MN
Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.

YMCA Best Buy Teen Tech Center
21 4th St E
St. Paul MN 55101
Tuesday, February 11 at 4:30 p.m.

About the YMCA of the North