The Youth Corps of America

Our Mission is to provide innovative prevention programs to youth and families in Southern Arizona.

		Youth in Action (YIA) A scholarship fund called the Krista Ann Valdez, Youth in Action (YIA), to assist in the cost of instructor fees, tuition, equipment, and supplies for Youth Corps of America, Inc. of Tucson, Arizona and the surrounding communities. Youth in Action is dedicated to Krista Ann Valdez and is designed to help less fortunate youth and their families who are challenged economically. Youth In action offers youth opportunities that they would not otherwise be
afforded. We mentor youth, develop leaders, teach respect and self reliance and give needed attention to people who need it most. How do you do what you do? Through generous donations, we target the neediest people and deliver programs and services that help them succeed in life. This includes, academic tutoring, free tuition to elite activities and opportunities that would not otherwise be available. Krista always felt driven to help those less fortunate, she would say: “Have your peops get a hold of mine”. Please have your peops get a hold of ours and donate today. Help YIA today.

		Martial Arts Resiliency Skills (MARS) MARS is a long-term violence and substance abuse prevention program that is designed to build leadership and resiliency skills in youth from the ages of eight to eighteen. By teaching traditional martial arts philosophy, strategies and technique, then applying it to a modern day context, MARS develops strong character, self-esteem, and moral sensibility to instill positive life-skills that are necessary for our young people to succeed in today’s society.
Program Goals -To provide an opportunity for underprivileged youth to participate in an elite martial arts practice. -To promote quality instruction techniques and knowledge of martial arts to develop and enrich the education and discipline of our students. -To teach life skills and peaceful problem solving skills. -To develop and foster leadership and respect for self and others. -To teach effective conflict resolution through peaceful strategies. -To promote the development of positive personal character self esteem and friendship building. -To encourage physical fitness and healthy habits. -To provide positive role models for youth. Program Theories (Scientific Research) The MARS program is structured through the latest prevention modeling and scientific research which is broken down in to four parts: Resiliency Skill Building Movement-based brain research Positive Role Modeling (Mentoring) Leadership development Sponsor A Child Program Summary The Martial Arts Sponsor a child is a long-term prevention and mentoring program that is designed to build leadership and resiliency skills in youth from the ages of eight to eighteen. By teaching traditional martial arts philosophy, strategies and technique, then applying it to a modern day context, we develop strong character, self-esteem, and moral sensibility to instill positive life-skills that are necessary for our young people to succeed in today’s society. Sponsor a child is located at our Safe Haven at 6011 E. 22nd St. The Need: High crime rates in public housing and low-income neighborhoods including gang activity, drug and alcohol use, and other high-risk activity, pose a threat to the healthy development of youth residing in these areas. Many youth also exhibit health issues related to smoking, overweight, and poor living habits. Without positive leisure and educational resources, youth turn to at-risk activities. Program Goals -To provide an opportunity for underprivilidged youth to participate in an elite martial arts practice. -To promote quality instruction techniques and knowledge of martial arts to develop and enrich the education and discipline of our students. -To teach life skills and peaceful problem solving skills. -To develop and foster leadership and respect for self and others. -To teach effective conflict resolution through peaceful strategies. -To promote the development of positive personal character self esteem and friendship building. -To encourage physical fitness and healthy habits. -To provide positive role models for youth. The sponsor a child program is broken down into two categories. One year - $1,140.00 including uniform, promotions, patches, and mentoring. Half a year - $570.00 All sponsors are given annual progress reports and status of their program sponsor. Martial arts works and we find that through proven success.

		Outdoor Education Survival Wilderness Adventure Training (SWAT) SWAT takes at-risk youth into outdoor settings to teach life-skills and leadership. We build trust in these youth through the venue of outdoor activities replacing at-risk activities with adventure-risk activities. Each SWAT session lasts 10 weeks. The session consists of 9 “challenge-by-choice” activities held on consecutive Saturdays. Each week involves an activity that is incrementally more challenging and builds on lessons from the previous week. Activities include day hikes; rock climbing and rappelling; first aid and CPR training; caving; orienteering; and team building games. In week 9, students put all their skills together for a 3-day, 2-night expedition camping trip. In all, each student receives approximately 90 hours of instruction.
In week 10, the program concludes with an Awards Banquet where family and friends are invited to learn more about SWAT, adventure recreation, and to honor each student’s accomplishments. The SWAT curriculum also includes elements gleaned from programs offered by the National Outdoor Leadership School and the Colorado Outward Bound. Students will keep journals and participate in an environmental service project. A surprise, “mock rescue” scenario is orchestrated during the session to allow students to practice their first aid skills and working in teams. Each CCAMP session can accommodate up to 15 students, ages 10-16 (5 teams of 3 students, plus a member of the staff). Student-to-staff ratio never exceeds 3:1, insuring the highest degree of student safety and personal interaction with staff mentors. Common themes in all of our outdoor activities are respect for the environment, Leave-No-Trace (LNT) backcountry practices, and appreciation for cultural diversity.

		Drug Education For Youth Drug Education For Youth (DEFY) is a self-esteem building program that provides kids with the tools they need to resist drugs, gangs, and alcohol. Initially developed by the Drug Demand Reduction Task Force (DDRTF), DEFY is sponsored by the local Weed and Seed sites and restricted to youth ages 9-12 from Weed and Seed sites. A 2-phase program, DEFY begins in the summer with either a five-day residential or a three-day non-residential camp program. This challenging, fun-filled week in the summer is followed by a year of mentoring.
Most participants gain a great deal from the DEFY experience. They make lasting friendships and learn a lot about themselves. Upon graduation, kids are placed in youth organizations that help them to meet their goals. DEFY focuses on building youngsters' self-image and setting goals. It stresses interpersonal relations, and emphasizes leadership and teamwork. Along the way it raises awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs, as well as the dangerous effects of peer pressure to join gangs. The structured curriculum offers education, skill development and physical fitness. DEFY is all about creating positive experiences so that kids will choose healthy alternatives instead of substance abuse and gang involvement. In essence, the DEFY program provides leadership to kids and thereby strengthens our communities. Our motto is: Strong children…. Strong families…. for a Ready Future…. TYCOA leads the way in phase two with mentoring and life-skills development.

		PSA Builders Youth PSA Build is an innovative youth leadership and skills building program designed for at-risk youth ages 10-18. Workshops typically include leadership training, team building, communication skills, problem-solving challenge courses, first-aid/CPR, anger management, and conflict resolution training. As an intricate part of the training we provide hands-on participation in instructional activities.
Program Goals The goals of the program are to involve youth in job skills building in the area of media, broadcast and public service training. -To increase participants knowledge of anger management and conflict resolution techniques. -To help students resist negative peer pressure and say no to drugs, gangs, and violence. -To help students become responsible, productive citizens in their community. -To teach community care through first-aid and CPR training. -To increase participant leadership skills, and teamwork. -To improve opportunities for positive recreational and leisure time during 3-6pm. -To teach youth resiliency skills, through leadership development. -To identifying children at risk and referring them to appropriate services. Performance Objectives Each student will be able to: Demonstrate 14 Fundamental Leadership Traits Understand the importance of dependability and responsibility Demonstrate appreciation of diversity Understand problem solving, conflict resolution, and anger management techniques. Demonstrate ability to perform basic first-aid and CPR life saving skills, and how to identify dangerous situations, and report them. Demonstrate job skills appropriate for entry into the work force.

		TYCOA’s Safe Haven The Youth Corps of America, Inc. operates a Safe Haven after-school program for youth at our gym located at 6011 E. 22nd St. with high crime and poverty rates impacting juvenile crime in Tucson, AZ. Program activities include homework help, academic enrichment, arts and crafts, boxing and martial arts, supervised games and physical education, and field trips. Our programs incorporate approaches to conflict resolution and encourage leadership and community development.
"I believe that we have to work together to continue to make our schools safe and our students held to a reasonable standard of conduct.... [From] 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime, and all that comes back into the schools.... A lot of these schools do not have the resources today to stay open longer hours, but they would if they could." --President William Jefferson Clinton

In 2000 With crime on the rise and Tucson ranked number one in violent crimes per capita in the Nation Chris Valdez, Tom Elias, and Carlos “Chato” Madrid started “The Old School Gym”, a small boxing and martial arts studio in the heart of South Tucson. Seeing the desperate need for long-term leadership and mentoring programs, The Youth Corps of America, Inc. was born. Continued collaborations with the Drug Education For Youth DEFY, program, the local Weed and Seed sites we developed successful programs to keep youth busy from 3-8 p.m. while building a strong prevention Nexus. If we do not take the lead, who will?