Youth Empowerment Forum Vol2 Issue1

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youth E M P O W E R M E N T

F O R U M

MAGAZINE

VOL-1 | ISSUE-1

HOW WAS THE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM FOUNDED? LEARN CREATIVE AND CONTENT WRITING SKILLS ROBOTS ARE THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD

ENGAGING KIDS IN THE SUMMER IN ARIZONA 1

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FB.COM/YEFUS | WEFUS.ORG/YEF


WHAT WE DO

WHAT WE DO:

YEF is an organization led by teens for teens. Its goals are to create a strong support system for the youth for life, cultivate meaningful volunteer opportunities, and educate teens on essential topics such as health, social issues, culture, etc.

THANK YOU:

M.D. Arnold once said, “A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them.” This is what YEF mentors— Shyam Byra, Lalitha Byra, Prabath, Manju, and the Wishesh Team- mean to us, leaders that have shown us the way to become leaders ourselves and helped us from behind-the-scenes! The YEF team would like to thank them and our parents for supporting us in this transformational leadership journey. Our parents have become an integral part to spreading the YEF organization’s impact through donating money and supporting our actions like summer classes and various other activities. The money from these events has allowed YEF to provide education to children in rural and tribal areas. We have come a long way because of our fellow mentors’ blessful guidance and our parents’ generous input. We have prospered as leaders and as humans. Thank you! - YEF Team - Kashvi and Himaja YEF Members

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Editor Note Hello everyone! Welcome to the first issue of the Youth Empowerment Forum Magazine! We are delighted to introduce our newest chapter regarding important experiences of our newly founded organization, Youth Empowerment Forum, or YEF. This issue will take you back to the beginning of our journey, and introduce the process of different events/ classes given by the youth. Here, we will highlight all the wonderful experiences of YEF members, and express the importance of our gratitude to everyone. YEF believes in “Youth Empowering Youth”, so come along and join us as we unravel the secrets that have been kept hidden throughout our whole journey. We sincerely hope you enjoy YEF Magazine’s first issue, as much as we loved writing these articles! Make sure to leave positive feedback and share with all your friends and family!

EDITOR IN CHIEF Shreya Kadiyala HONORARY REVIEWER Shreya Kadiyala DIGITAL DESIGNER Sidhu COORDINATORS Shreya Kadiyala, Aashi Hemdev CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aashi Hemdev, Aarush Reddy, Garima Harlalka, Himaja Jonnakuti, Kashvi Gupta, Sriniketh Ganti, Sarayu Nippani, Shreya Kadiyala TO CONTRIBUTE / ADVERTISE / BACK ISSUES & ENQUIRIES, CONTACT Shreya Kadiyala yef@wefus.org

Special thanks to contributors, our advertisers and readers for making this magazine possible. PUBLICATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY Wishesh Digital Media Pvt. Ltd.

Special thanks to contributors, our advertisers and readers for making this magazine possible.

Plot No:31A, Nagarjuna Hills Panjagutta, Hyderabad, T.S. India - 500 082 Ph: 040 - 23352804 info@wishesh.net www.wishesh.net

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YEF MAGAZINE

CONTENTS VO L 1 | I SSUE 1

06 HOW WAS THE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM FOUNDED? 08 SHREYA KADIYALA CO-FOUNDER’S YEF EXPERIENCE 12 YOUTH ARE OUR FUTURE 14 YEF ORGANIZATION 16 JOURNEY OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM 26 YEF MUSIC FUNDAMENTALS CLASS 32 ROBOTS ARE THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD 36 COOKING & HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 40 CONTENT AND CREATIVE WRITING 44 GENETICS COURSE

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08

14

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YEF HISTORY

How was the

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM

Founded?

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YEF is a non-profit organization led by teens for all youth

YEF does this through various methods including but not limited to volunteering and fundraising. YEF is a subsidiary of the Women’s Empowerment Forum (WEF). The WEF is an organization in Phoenix, AZ that advocates and empowers women. They accomplish this goal through programs that give them skills and instill inner strength so they can take on the world. They also promote networking, economic independence, gender equality, leadership training, career guidance, social empowerment, and trauma relief. They are aligned with the UN’s women and its 17 sustainable Development Goals. The forum was founded by two siblings Shreya Kadiyala and Suhas Kadiyala in May’2020. The two saw that many kids were wasting their time away in quarantine instead of using this valuable time in productive ways. They both wanted to stop this and decided to materialize their want with the founding of the Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF). Ensuring youth spent time on valuable activities instead of wasting their time away, during quarantine, led to the foundation of the group. YEF originally was an organization founded to

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provide an opportunity for youth to learn new skills during quarantine. With the aim to foster talent for the future, Shreya, Suhas and other members of YEF reached out to mentors and community leaders to help the cause. Shyam Byra, Lalitha Byra, Prabath, Manju, Women’s Empowerment Foundation, and Wishesh team. They supported YEF with guidance, leadership, mentorship, and resources. During the summer of 2020, YEF kicked off and was beginning to be noticed. Kids started joining the club and attending the sessions YEF held. After quarantine ended, they still pursued their goal, and the forum stands strong today continuing their motto of kids empowering kids.

- Aarush

YEF Member

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CO-FOUNDER’S YEF EXPERIENCE

Shreya Kadiyala Co-Founder’s YEF Experience

Everywhere I go, people are always asking me what is YEF? How did it start? How does it help the world? Well, to be honest, when I first joined I really couldn’t quite reach the answer either. But what I do know now, is that this organization has taught me a lot of things that I was never really prepared for in life. My name is Shreya Kadiyala, and I am a 16-year-old Sophomore at Desert Mountain High School. I was born in Phoenix, Arizona but have always loved to travel and visit new places. I love to bake and cook and am always looking for new opportunities to expand my culinary skills. I also learn an Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam and have recently started learning how to play the guitar. But enough about me, instead I want to share with you guys my experience in YEF.

YEF stands for Youth Empowerment Forum. It is a non-profit organization led by teens in Arizona for kids and teens worldwide. We are an initiative under

WEF, Women Empowerment Foundation, and have grown to become our organization with the help of many mentors who have been guiding us along the way. I am very grateful to them and all the other adults that have put in their time to help YEF become the success that it is today. Throughout the whole world, everyone is going through hard times because of the coronavirus that has struck this Earth. Many schools and offices have been forced to close down and continue online, and many people have become unemployed due to this pandemic. Everyone in the world has been in quarantine, and they are all going crazy because they are not allowed to leave their homes. And this is how the idea of YEF

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began. A couple of my friends and I were discussing some activities we would like to do over the summer, mostly online things. We began to propose our ideas, and we created a list of activities we would try and organize for the public to participate in. Before we became an organization, we just called them “summer activities”. We would have one or two meetings almost every week to discuss these activities and to establish the next steps that we had to take if we were to achieve this. At the end of one meeting, I remember having one clear goal in mind: I wanted to help out all the kids who were in quarantine. We all had this goal, not just me. Then, that is when the idea of online courses came into the picture. By now, we had more kids 8


Is your child struggling and need a little extra help with school work?

student-run

TUTORING PROGRAM

SUBJECTS OF TUTORING Mathematics Science English

We are a group of high school students that offer online classes in a variety of courses!

Write to us for more details

yef@wefus.org

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CO-FOUNDER’S YEF EXPERIENCE joining our group “summer activities”.

We wanted to create a fun, hands-on opportunity and great experiences for kids and teens to have this summer. To achieve this, it was time for all the work to start. We were all creating flyers and videos to help spread the word out. We also learned many things about how to advertise during this time, and we were just aiming for kids in Arizona to get the word about our summer activities. We also had to make registration forms, get teachers for each of our courses, and make a schedule. We also had to organize the content for some of the classes, because some of us were interested in teaching them. I remember being very overwhelmed with all this, because there was so much work to be done in a little amount of time, and our exams in school were being held at the same time. But by the time we were done with that, we had another problem, we needed to contact everyone who had registered for our courses. This is when we decided to do an e-Campaign. This is also when I learned how to make mock calls, which was very fun for me. We texted, called, and emailed everyone based on which courses they signed up for. Now, this took a very long time, but you

know that if you have patience you can get anything done. And that is exactly what we did. By now, we had around 10 people in the summer activities group, and we were constantly growing. We wanted to change our name, and we just started calling ourselves members of YEF, Youth Empowerment Forum. We like this name because it fits nicely with a simple definition of who we were and what we were doing; A group of youth brainstorming ideas to empower other youth. Now by this time, the courses that we were offering were almost about to start. The courses that we offer are First Aid/ Disaster Management, Vedic Maths, Cooking/Healthy Lifestyle, Intro to Python, Content writing, Arts & Crafts, Music Fundamentals, Intro to Photography, Genetics, Chess Fundamentals, and Fitness/ Yoga and Health. We decided to keep these courses free and try to encourage people to donate instead. This is where Ekal Vidyalaya comes into the picture. Ekal Vidyalaya is a non-profit organization that helps give education to underprivileged, rural kids in India. They raise money to help the uneducated children in India have a chance to learn. Our YEF Leadership team saw this and immediately decided we wanted to help these children too. This is also another reason we made most of our

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courses free so that more people will donate to this great cause. Even a donation of $1 can educate 30 children for one day. At the same time, $365 can educate 30 kids for one whole year. Because of this, at the beginning or end of each YEF class, we try to make the kids understand what a privilege it is to be able to have an education here in America, and how important it is for kids in rural India to have an education too. This encourages them to donate to Ekal, and it is a real blessing to see these kid’s faces as we tell them about rural India; they can understand how important and privileged they are.

I am very thankful to be a part of the Youth Empowerment Forum, as well as its Co- Founder alongside my brother, because it taught so many things, not just about what we did to become what we are today, but also about the world in general.

- Shreya Kadiyala YEF Co-Founder

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WOMEN EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION

YEF and WEF

MITR program A Friendship Haven for Parents and their Children with Special Needs

The purpose of this program is to create meaningful friendships to further social inclusion & empowerment for special needs children. This program will be based on a one on one interactive friendship. Each child, who is interested in this program will be paired with a peer/ volunteer based on his/ her interests and likes. The friends may engage in any activity of their choice or meet at any designated place as decided by the parents for this interaction. These sessions will involve the parent/s of the special needs children and the parents of the volunteers

Registration for MITR program

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https://bit.ly/MITR-Program YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1


YOUTH ARE OUR FUTURE - Dr. Gautam Shah Indo American Community Leader, Founder Trustee of IACRF

Youth is our future so, we fully support youth leadership and participation. Empowerment theory suggests that engaging youth in pro-social, meaningful, and communityenhancing activities that the youth themselves define and control, helps youth gain vital skills, responsibilities, and confidence necessary to become productive and healthy adults.

The five competencies of a healthy youth are: (1) Positive sense of self (2) Self- control (3) Decision-making skills (4) A moral system of belief (5) Pro-social connectedness All of us shall “Encourage them to follow their passions. Involve scholars, professionals, and volunteers from the community to mentor them and guide them on how to plan, execute, and follow their passions the right way. Tell them that they won’t always have someone listening and that they need to fight sometimes for what they believe in. Not everyone is willing to listen and mentor, but this should never be the reason for them to quit. There will always be another person or another way to get it done. Let us all share with them success stories of youth who worked hard and fought to achieve the successes they

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have now. These powerful personal stories will motivate and encourage them to do better and counter any negative messages surrounding young people. Hold workshops and seminars with successful persons as speakers to share with them their personal journey to inspire them to do the same. Encourage them to start now. It’s never too early or too late to start developing good habits. Persistence and constant personal progression are the most important things when it comes to accomplishing goals combined with the guidance, mentoring, and opportunities. Show them that their opinions matter and what they have to say is important, engage them in decision-making, and give them the responsibility and the power to better the community, to pass the torch, so to speak. Treat them with humility. Remember they are just starting to learn to integrate into society in the larger sense, so give them confidence and always be patient. They need all the guidance and help they can get. Let us support and empower youth by equipping them with the practical life skills and knowledge they need to lead lives of dignity, purpose, and economic stability.

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The Indo-American Community Center

The Indo-American Community Center, located at 2809 West Maryland Avenue in Phoenix. Total approximately 4.5 acres of land with lot of space for parking and other facilities. IACRFAZ community hall is the place for all the people to conduct family functions, seminars, social activities etc. It is a place which provides all the amenities, which are required to carry out the activity at the hall smoothly.

Wedding

Meeting Facility

Anniversary party

Special Events

Birthday Party

Onsite kitchen

Please call us today for Inquiry and reservation ! Contact for Booking Hall: Alma Lucero (Hall Custodian) Cell: 602-647-3398 Email: almaiacf01@gmail.com

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YEF ORGANIZATION

is essentially a subset of the WOMEN EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION A non-profit organization dedicated to helping women and their families reach out to the community and other platforms for personalized aid in any situation.

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A non-profit organization dedicated to helping women and their families reach out to the community and other platforms for personalized aid in any situation. The founders of the WEF believed that they would make a larger impact during this pandemic, if they could somehow encourage kids and young adults to continue being productive from the home setting. Hosting summer activities seemed like an excellent start; but involving the youth was key to the success of this mission, so they brought in some high schoolers to create a board and begin working on this project. Thus, the Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF) was initiated. We began this operation as a way of connecting with families during these incredibly difficult and unforeseen circumstances. Our philosophy is to make this summer fun and empowering, so that these

kids can continue to learn as well as develop their minds with critical thinking skills, while enjoying their time at home. We understand that during these times, thinking about summer classes and courses seems somewhat trivial. However, as most of us plan to spend most of our summer indoors, these classes are a great segue from school work into laid back learning, in order to remain productive while still enjoying the copious amounts of free time that we have been given.

Now you may be thinking… What makes our courses so different from the rest of summer courses that are being offered elsewhere? The answer to that is we are a purely student run branch of the WEF. Students have planned these courses and they might even be teaching them (with proper qualifications of course). But again our goal was to make the YEF a part of the WEF that would be involved in the lives of the younger demographic and the best course of action was to allow students to take over the operation. This group of individuals is diligent, determined and excited to give you the best summer experience that they can by working day and night to offer you courses of multiple genres and levels. Our course catalog includes

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Vedic Math, Fitness and yoga, Photography, Arts and Crafts, Introduction to Business, Python, Cooking and Healthy Lifestyles, and Introduction to Genetics, just to name a few. These classes are all taught by qualified individuals who have dedicated their time to creating an entire curriculum for the summer in order to ensure maximum learning and pleasure. And to make this experience even more relatable, some of the classes are even taught by local students such as Arpana Ajith , Shreya Kadiyala, and myself, Sakshi Karra. Arpana will be teaching introduction to photography as a way of sharing the knowledge she has acquired at school in her photography classes. Shreya Kadiyala will give us a glimpse into the world of sweets, introducing the students to several baking recipes as part of the Cooking and Healthy Lifestyle classes. I am in charge of the Introduction to Genetics class with several biology related classes added to my list of qualifications. We have all come together to give you the best possible summer; so please take this opportunity to look more into the type of courses we are offering and we will not disappoint! Stay safe and have an amazing summer!

- Sakshi

YEF Member

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YEF JOURNEY

Journey of

Youth Empowerment Forum

YEF started in 2020 when we all went online. Over spring break of 2020, one of YEF’s mentors, Shyam Uncle, reached out to Shreya asking her to make a video for COVID, thanking front-line workers All the original YEF members, who were friends at the time, had the idea to get together and pass their knowledge on to other kids.

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This was especially appealing because everything had just gone online so there wasn’t much to do. In May of 2020, they decided on a name, Summer Activities. YEF didn’t exist in May of 2020. They sent out a survey in the WEF group chat to attract interest for things that children were interested in learning. The YEF name (Youth Empowerment Forum) and message was created as they went along. Along with creating a new organization comes newfound skills. Over the course of the

2 years that YEF has been around, people learned how to properly make flyers, excel sheets, google forms, and use zoom. They also learned how to teach a course. The amount of patience, dedication, and planning that went into all of this is no joke. Many people also learned leadership, taking the lead of the project that they are running and making sure everyone gets everything done on time. Communication skills were also important, especially for the teachers and the parents of the children in the class.

YEF’s outreach is international, with students from Minnesota and New Jersey to India. We are always looking to give back to the community and have contributed over 30K to Ekal Vidyala in India. After classes in 2020 and 2021, we have hosted a chess tournament and a Diwali Program in November of 2021 at the Ekta Mandir under IACRF Organization.

- Garima

YEF Member 17

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YEF JOURNEY

YEF Summer Program Expansion of 2020

The last couple of years in the pandemic was a challenging time for us all, but the hardest of all was in 2020, the absolute core of the pandemic. Kids across the country were experiencing their entire lives and education being taken away from them and forced to see society in a completely new light. The Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF) was a group of teenagers whose main goal was to educate

children around the country in time of the pandemic in an engaging online environment. In our first year, we offered 11 courses, with eligibility based on age and difficulty. Through the process, we empowered the youth and learned skills to pave the way for our future.

The 11 courses we offered were: First Aid & Disaster Management:

among students, and yoga taught every Sunday morning by a professional.

CPR training, how to make DIY casts, proper wound care, and how to handle unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, medical emergencies, etc.

Python & Software Programming:

Fitness, Exercise, Yoga, and Healthy Habits:

To empower the CURRENT GEN KIDS with NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGIES and make the future ready

Cooking & Healthy

Teamly competitions per week

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Lifestyle: Teaches how to make dishes in Indian and American cuisine with ease, such as Blueberry Muffins, Vanilla Cake, French Crepes, Potato Fries, etc. (adult supervision required)

Chess Fundamentals: Chess fundamentals, featuring the Queen’s Sacrifice, Double Attack, Overloading, and more!

Genetics: How scientists have come across the very nature of genes and how this study has progressed throughout the years, meshing with technology and creating very new and interesting ideas within our society; hands-on activities included.

Photography: Learn about photography elements, such as Portraiture, Elements, and Composition; take the perfect picture to capture the beauty of the world!

Creative Writing: Jump ahead in this essential life skill to shape your future.

Fundamentals: Reveal the basics of music, the history of music, and compose and perform your own music at the end of this course!

Robotics: Get some hands-on experience with programming and build your own robot by the end of this course!

Vedic Math (Professional Teaching): Builds the basics of math and helps students to solve problems quickly and accurately. In addition to teaching new skills over the summer, YEF members broadcasted an online Indian Independence Day Celebration online on August 15th to celebrate Indian culture. This program included facts on the Indian history and flag, educational videos, and ended with playing trivia! Through the process of developing these educational programs, each YEF member grew as a person and in their skill set. Motivated by parents and students who took part in our program, we set out to expand our reach in the summer of 2021.

Music - Aashi Hemdev

YEF Member

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YEF JOURNEY

YEF Summer Program Expansion of 2021

Engaging kids in the Summer in Phoenix is a nightmare for any parent. Soaring temperatures and bored children are a very volatile mixture. Summer of 2021 was specially brutal for parents in the valley due to the Pandemic, restricted travel and reduced number of summer camps and activities for kids. The parents were exhausted working and taking care of the children. The YEF members discussed this issue in their monthly meeting and decided to conduct online Summer classes for the Summer of 2021. The YEF Organization presented the Arizonan community with free summer classes taught by their lead members. The purpose of these free classes was to give back to the communities that everyone has taken so much from. All classes were virtual on Zoom and had a chat where the instructor could send meeting information as well as answer any questions that students may have. These intriguing courses included: introduction to music, photography, first aid , healthy lifestyle classes and much more. As expected, multiple young minds were excited and ready to attend these classes. These classes were more than just an hour-long lecture about a respective subject. These classes helped children connect with like-minded people of their age while allowing them to unleash their imagination and think outside the box. YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

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Youth Empowerment Forum leads by Teens in AZ helping kids and teens. YEF is an initiative by WEF and is supported by many social organizations such as Ekal , IACRF and Indo American Community.

ARE YOU OUR NEXT

Team Member? To create a strong support system for the youth for life. To create meaningful volunteer opportunities. To educate them on essential topics such as health, social issues, cultural, etc.

bit.ly/JoinYEF 21

w wYOUTH w.w efus.org/yef EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE

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who we are Ekal Vidyalaya is a Movement involved in integrated & holistic development of rural & tribal India and Nepal. The main activity undertaken in this movement is to run one-teacher schools (known as Ekal Vidyalayas) all over India, in the remotest rural & tribal villages to take the education to every child. The overriding philosophy of Ekal Vidyalaya Movement is to take a holistic approach of social and economic development to Tribal & Rural India that is Bharat and Nepal. With the participation of numerous trusts and non-profit organizations, this movement has become the largest grassroots level non-governmental education & development movement that operates in the remote villages of India and Nepal .The Ekal movement aims to help eradicate illiteracy from rural and tribal India and Nepal following the philosophy of rural development based on the criteria of equality & inclusiveness across all the sections of the society.

Our Progress: 77,983

Schools

21,06,152

Students

10,53,317

Boys Enrolled

10,52,835

Girls Enrolled

Reach Us: Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA P.O Box 821369 Houston, TX 77282-1369 USA +1 281 668 5982 ekalusa@ekal.org

TOGETHER LET’S ACHIEVE SOMETHING INCREDIBLE Education means dignity and life.Help build a future for children in rural India. Donate Now.

www.ekal.org/donate

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YEF JOURNEY

YEF Diwali Production at Ekta Mandir Diwali is an annual festival from India. Stemming from the Sanskrit word “Deepavali”, the “row of lighted lamps” Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil. Lord Krishna’s wife Satyabhama killed a demon called Narakasura all by herself on this day. Millions of Hindu, Jain and Sikh followers around the globe all partake in traditional celebratory activities for a span of five days. Stylized by dazzling displays of fireworks, people come out to celebrate this glorious holiday with delicious Indian food and prayers. The Indo-American Foundation of Arizona decided to conduct a Diwali festival on November 4th and 5th 2021 at the Ekta Mandir Hindu temple in Phoenix, AZ. The Diwali festivities included grand fireworks, lighting of the unity lamps, special poojas to the goddess of light and money, Lakshmi, Indian dancing and Rangolis - illustrating pictures with powdered pigments. The Youth Empowerment Forum of Arizona (YEF) collaborated with the temple and conducted many kid attractions and activities such as pony rides, face painting and balloon twisting. Members of the group attended meetings and officers of the club allocated members to their respective jobs for the event. In addition to these activities

YEF Stage Managers rocking the stage!

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YEF members acted as stage managers, food sellers and merry gamemasters. Stage managers helped stage performers with transposing their studio dances onto a stage, lighting and audio machine management. Food sellers pitched foods like lassi, a popular Indian dessert beverage, and crowd pleasing cotton candy! Approximately 200 revelers attended the gathering, one of whom was chief guest Katie Hobbs. The Secretary of State for Arizona gave a heartwarming speech about pride of heritage for the first night of the festival. Another inspirational party attendee was a representative of Arizona on the House of Representatives, Dr. Amish Shah. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, masks were mandatory for the event and social distancing was maintained. This local celebration was a long-needed break for the Indian diaspora from the insidious COVID-19 pandemic that had spread a lot of gloom and dismay. The Diwali celebrations infused a new vigor and joy into the attendees and the organizers.

YEF Co-Founder, Suhas Kadiyala (left) Dr. Amish Shah (right)

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YEF JOURNEY

YEF Magazine Committee The YEF Magazine Committee was once just a casual idea that Aashi Hemdev and Shreya Kadiyala had brought it up in conversation. However, the duo wanted this small vision to become a reality, as it would draw the youth of Arizona to the YEF program. Shreya and Aashi pitched their concept to Shyam S. Byra , the program advisor. Immediately after listening to the pitch, Mr. Byra recommended the magazine committee to all YEF members during the Autumn season of 2021. Not long after, new members of this magazine committee began writing about the start of YEF, community service opportunities through YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

the program and its staggering members. This magazine was to be published on May 13th, 2022. Shreya and Aashi’s vision has become a reality, with a magazine that can attract new members and great leadership and service behind their committee. Fun Fact: The magazine mentioned it the same magazine you are seeing right now!

- Sarayu Nippani YEF Member

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YEF Chess Tournament: 2021

Chess is a strategic game invented in India in the 8th century. This game requires a high level of focus and skill to excel. It takes years to master, which makes it an addicting, but productive game at the same time. Playing chess can increase self awareness and improve memory. Chess can also bring people together and help them make many new friends. With this in mind, YEF and the Indo American Foundation of Arizona held a chess tournament on July, 31, 2021 at 2:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Ekta Mandir. This tournament was 6 hours of fun packed chess action. To educate the beginners in the group, YEF gave them free chess classes to prepare them for the tournament. These classes were taught by the chessmaster, Swapnil Katikaneni, who dedicated many hours and was one of the first members of YEF, and now currently the Vice President of YEF. Some of the children from this tournament have continued on to play in officially ranked USCF tournaments. They have this introduction to the game to thank for it. The tournament was free and Shyam S Byra, and Swapnil Katikaneni were the chief organizers . 25

YEF’s high ambitions paid off in the end, with over 30 children signing up.The participants were eager to show their parents the skills they had learned over the past month of classes. The outcome was amazing, the tournament was a very fun and lighthearted event. There were 4 rounds in total each with a 30 minute increment per round. All of the kids enjoyed it and it was a great experience for all the parties involved. The 30 kids all competed against one another with the winner of each game playing against each other.. Everyone was included and got to play.The children were given pizza, ice cream, and many other tasty treats. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, masks were made mandatory to maintain a safe environment. Social distancing was also maintained for the same reason.

- Sriniketh G YEF Member

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YEFYEF EXPERIENCE COURSES

YEF Music YEF Fundamentals Experience Class

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Music. The one language communicated without words. The one concept some can’t do without. The one way to express emotions without speaking a word, without any rough action. This is what I think of music. It is a subject I love, and cannot imagine living without. I want to share my experience with others. I want others to have the same sanctuary I turn to when I can’t handle myself. I want others to share the same joy, to be able to express everything on their mind without uttering a word. This was the start of the Music Fundamentals class.

My name is Aashi Hemdev, and I am an incoming 8th grader at BASIS Phoenix. I am 12 years old, and the youngest member of theYouth Empowerment Forum (YEF) . I have been playing the flute since I was in 6th grade. Ever since I opened up the flute box, my awesome band teacher and conductor, Mr. Jared Bushee, has inspired me to keep learning and growing. There is not a single

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day that passes by without me learning and practicing a new note, a new piece, or learning music theory, such as time signatures and complex rhythms. However, learning how to play an instrument requires prior knowledge. Knowing answers to questions such as, what is an ensemble? What are the different types of instruments? How do you read the treble clef? What is a 4/4 time signature, and how do you play it? If these questions and vocabulary terms are unfamiliar to you, this class is just right. (You can learn more info and join the class here) This course, along with 14 others, has been produced, broadcasted, and funded by the YEF, an initiative under the Women’s Empowerment Foundation (WEF). Who are we? Why have we created these activities? And what have we learned through the process? This article shares my personal experience working with the YEF, and the benefits of collaborating with such an amazing team.

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YEF COURSES In the beginning, we were just a group of students who got together and decided to do something to make kids’ experiences during COVID-19 better. I was very shy before the first meeting because all these students were older than me, and I felt that the only reason I had been invited was because I got to know the leader of the team through public speaking competitions. It turned out, the people involved were very kind and welcomed me with open arms. I began to trust them, and my shyness withered away. I started talking more in meetings and learned to express my feelings without acting timid, even in front of advanced students. After a few meetings, we had decided to create fun, knowledge-based online classes. Everyone expressed their opinions on what classes they would like to broadcast, what courses they could teach, and how we could go forward. I came up with the Music Fundamentals class. After we created a compiled list of all the courses, we had to create a registration form. I and a few other team members worked together and it was ready in a few days. The class was announced about a week later. Some other team members made videos and flyers regarding the classes and started to

YEF Music Fundamentals Class

The Process share them on social media, a platform I did not have access to. Instead, I set out to write a large article summarizing every courses’ objectives and explaining what the YEF was all about. Once it was published, I started to plan the Music Fundamentals class. After a few weeks of coordinating with advanced band students at my school and Mr. Jared Bushee, I had three teachers who were ready to instruct my dream course! I was excited about my progress, but there was still a lot more work to be done. At this point the registrations were in for all the courses. One of the senior coordinators of the YEF team, Mr. Shaym Byra, sent me a long list of registrations for the class and explained the next steps. I created an email campaign by writing a detailed email to all the participants expressing thanks and giving further information about the class, such as timings, days, and teachers assigned. Since I did not have the software to

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send out the email campaign, I drafted the email message and the Cognizant team sent it out to more than 50 participants all over the United States. I then had to add everyone’s numbers into my phone, and follow-up the email with a text about their class registrations. This was a lot of work, and I was offered help along the way, but I was determined to do this work myself. I declined all requests of help, and after a full day of staying on the computer and phone sorting double registrations, age-appropriate participants, and who has WhatsApp (our primary mode of communication), my work was finally done. Or so I thought. I was then informed that I had to call every person who had not yet responded or read the message the next day. As much as I was dedicated to doing all the work myself, this was becoming too much! I was firm with determination, however, and made up my mind that I would do this myself, too. By this time, I 28


was receiving compliments from everyone on the team, “A 12-year old is creating the entire class herself and is not asking for any help!” I finally felt that I had earned my place on the YEF team. I wrote out a call script that my mother and Mr. Shaym Byra edited and approved, and set out to make 43 phone calls. This was a tedious process, and it took almost half of my day. But at the end, it was worth it. I had successfully made all forms of communication and spread the word successfully. The rest of the tasks regarding the class was up to the teachers, and lastly I had to make weekly check-ins and introduce the class with a small presentation. My work in the team is far from finished, of course. There is still lots to be done, and not much time to do it. As school re-opening is approaching quickly we need to create surveys, certificates, wrap up classes, and find ways to stay in touch with all the participants.

What did I learn? How did I benefit from this process of creating a class and coordinating with all these wonderful people? I benefited in two ways: by gaining Knowledge and the thing one cannot gain from studying books all day long 29

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YEF COURSES Experience. Knowledge As an average 12- year old girl joining this team I had no college experience of working with computer programs, no experience writing long emails, none at all. I felt foolish: not knowing how Google Drive worked, not knowing how to make a form using Google forms, not being able to use Google Docs (I only ever used MS Word), etc. As I kept learning, my knowledge about computer programs and workings of a college system kept growing. I am lucky this opportunity came to me early in life. It gave me so many valuable learnings that I will definitely employ in my high school career and beyond.

Experience Not everyone has the opportunity to do something of so much value at a young age. Not everyone has the opportunity to work with high schoolers, gain their respect, and work with them to create a unified team. You cannot learn to do some things from a textbook, such as writing a blog or creating a website. You have to do it hands-on and learn from your experience doing it. This is why the YEF Team has meant so much to me. It has given me so many things over the past few YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

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months. I have worked hard to earn my place, and I finally have earned the status of being the youngest member of the YEF team..

YEF-What is our mission? The Youth Empowerment Forum, is a forum created by Kids and Teens, for Kids and Teens. The YEF has a mission. “Along with providing education to kids in the United States, we want to support education in rural India, one of the places that cannot take education for granted.” This quote emphasizes the YEF’s mission. We coordinate with Ekal Vidyala, an organization that meets this cause.

‘Let your child give the gift of education back to a rural tribal child.’ Over the course of 8 weeks, the YEF has raised more than $10K for the underprivileged to receive an education. ‘$1 Educated 30 students for a day. $30 educates 30 students for a month. $365 educates 30 students for a year.’ These donations are not mandatory, of course, but they are highly encouraged.

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Final words... I am thankful that life presented me with this unique opportunity, and I am glad I took it. I have learned so much that I could not have learned from a textbook. Experiencing this adventure made the summer during COVID-19 so much better for me, and I hope kids out there have gained some knowledge from our summer courses too. I have learned how to use much more technology than when I first started, and feel like I am on a mission to help the underprivileged kids. Everybody has the right to education. If you would like to support our cause and help educate children, please donate. You might be making a child’s dream come true and open their mind to a whole new world.

- Aashi

YEF Member

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YEF COURSES

Robots

ARE THE

FUTURE OF THE WORLD

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As many know, robots are the future of the world. Almost two-hundred years ago, nothing we have now was available to the public. The use of cars and planes was a mere fragment of imagination. However, with the help of inventors all around the world and the use of robotics, these ideas became a reality. Now people have much more than cars and planes; including robots that can aid in construction and creation. In this class, we go through what it takes to build a robot; with me, your teacher: Durga. During this time of quarantine, many kids are stuck inside, with nothing to do. As part of the incoming freshmen class at my high school, I have especially felt this on many occasions. I remember only five months ago, thinking that I would have endless opportunities during quarantine and enough to keep me busy, however, this was not the case. In the beginning, schoolwork would be given to students and was supposed to last over most of the day; but, the work had gotten fairly simple since we could not talk with our teachers on an everyday basis. Therefore, the work would only cover up to three or four hours of our day. Nevertheless, people found new hobbies in cooking, arts and crafts, and video games; and I was allowed to teach over 60 kids the wonderful world of robotics. Before the end of this school year, I had participated in robotics competitively for almost two years and had learned to code since I was ten years old. I started my journey into the world of robotics by learning Javascript for almost three years and Python for almost two years. I began competing in seventh grade and continued 33

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YEF COURSES

on the same team until the end of my eighthgrade year. I was one of the main programmers and took part in the construction of our robot. My robotics team has reached the top three in New Jersey and the top 130 in the world. Prior to teaching robotics here at YEF, I have taught smaller study groups at school and have taken part in assisting my former teachers at ALOHA Mind Math as alumni. Although I have some teaching experience in the past, it was only a taste of what was required to be a single teacher with a class of over 30 students. The process of creating a plan for each class and adapting to the problems and situations that occur takes a lot of time and effort. Also, making sure every student gets the same amount of help and attention needed for them to learn in a fun and safe environment is essential to having a successful class. Even though it has been a little tough, I would not trade the time I have had and will have for the world.

COURSE CURRICULUM: In this course, we will go in-depth into the creation of robots and the programming it takes for the robot to be independent. The participants of this class will learn the parts of a robot, and their functions; different programming languages and the uses for each; and how to create robots with your own hands, in just four weeks. This class is for students older than the age of 10 and does not require any kits or previous knowledge about robotics or programming. To provide a brief interview of the four weeks: Week 1, will be focused on getting started on the programming sites and introduction to mechanics. Week 2, will be on making your first robot out of household products. Week 3, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

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we will go more in-depth with programming. Week 4, will be for fun, creativity, and playing games like Jeopardy.

EKAL VIDYALAYA AND YEF: This class and many others would not have been possible without the organization called Youth Empowerment Forum. This organization has helped create summer classes for kids all around the world, stuck at home due to the lockdown and Covid-19. Along with the robotics class, we have organized many other classes; such as cooking and a healthy lifestyle, yoga and fitness, intro to python programming, and many more. When attending these classes, the YEF has collected donations from the participants to put towards Ekal Vidyalaya. Ekal is a non-profit organization which helps educate children in India who cannot afford to go to school. The smallest amount of $1 can educate 30 kids for a day. By donating to Ekal you are giving back to the community and having fun at the same time. So please come join us in your effort to help kids everywhere get a chance to learn.

- Durga Shylesh YEF Member

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YEF COURSES

Cooking & Healthy Lifestyle

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I have always loved to bake, cook, and experiment with food. It is my passion to bake, and I look to expand my skills in the culinary world and to share them with other young home cooks.

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My name is Shreya Kadiyala, and I am a 14-year-old freshman at Desert Mountain High School. I was born in Phoenix, Arizona but have always loved to travel and visit new places. I love to bake and cook and am always looking for new opportunities to expand my culinary skills. I also learn an Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam and have recently started learning how to play the guitar. My friend, Sakshi Karra, and I have been working together to teach the Cooking and Healthy Lifestyle course that YEF offers. I am more into baking, so I tend to teach how to bake sweet dishes. Sakshi loves to both bake and cook, so she teaches how to make dishes from different cuisines. We both have experience in cooking for over 7 years, and love to teach other kids about the culinary world.

of these five senses are not perfect. As many great chefs like to say, “Everything has to be cooked to perfection!”

I think of cooking as a different art form. There are two very important parts to cooking: The dish’s appearance and taste. I believe food should be both visually appealing and very flavorful, then only will you have an audience for that one dish. When it comes to cooking, all five senses are equally important. You have to taste, touch, smell, see, even hear the dish. The dish will not be savored if even one

Touch is also equally as important as the rest of the senses. For example, while cooking something on the stove, you must touch it to see if it is cooked, then only you will know. The dish must feel cooked in order to actually be cooked thoroughly. Touch also shows the temperature of the food; if the food was frozen before, when you feel it it should be cold. In the same way, if you had just baked

The five senses are all connected when it comes to cooking. Taste goes deep into the flavors of the dish. Without the correct balance of flavors, the food will not taste the way you might want it to taste. The smell of the dish has to have an amazing aroma for it to be captured by the audience’s eye. This also ties to how the dish looks. The dish must be visually appealing and colorful in order to make someone’s mouth water. This goes back to the idea of measuring. While cooking, all your measurements must be perfect. If even one ingredient is not measured properly, it could mess with the flavors, the aroma, and the appearance of the dish.

something in the oven, you must touch it to see if it is warm or hot and ready to eat. Now, we have come to the very last sense: hearing. There are certain sounds that food makes, especially while on a stove or on the grill. For example, the sizzling sound when you put water in a pan tells you the pan is hot. Hearing can tell you simple things like this, and is connected to all the other senses in determining the dish’s outcome. These are the five most important senses you must remember to test while cooking.

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Through Women Empowerment Foundation, we want to provide support and help to empower women by building self-esteem and confidence.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION Advocacy for women and empower women

Focus on women's health

Establish a support network for women

Programs to equip women with skills

Align with the UN's women and its 17 sustainable development goals

(623) 688-1405 | INFO@WEFUS.ORG | WWW.WEFUS.ORG

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YEF COURSES as I said before, is all about experimentation, so it is always good to try and experiment making certain dishes with healthier ingredients. Of course it’s ok to have sugar or fat once in a while, but remember that having a healthy lifestyle will help prevent many health problems when you are older.

There are two flavor profiles used in cooking: Sweet and Savory. Sweet dishes tend to have more sugar, hence the sweetness, and savory dishes don’t have very much sugar. Cooking is basically like science. You have to experiment with different ingredients and measurements in order to get a dish that tastes delicious. In my opinion, that’s what makes cooking, and especially baking do fun. You never know the outcome of the dish until you’re done with it. There are many different types of cuisines. A Cuisine is a style of cooking that often relates to a region’s culture and traditions. There is Indian cuisine, American cuisine, Thai cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Italian cuisine ect. These are located all around the world, and they’re style of cooking is what differentiates them from other regions of the world. 39

Now, let’s move on to the Healthy Lifestyle aspect. Having a healthy lifestyle is very important for your body. Everyone needs protein, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and carbs in their body. Of course everyone eats sweets and candy once in a while, but many people try and refrain from eating lots of sugar, which is great. Having a healthy lifestyle means eating healthy and eating sweets in moderation. It also means drinking lots of water everyday, and even exercising your body. Cooking makes it hard to have a healthy lifestyle, because we are all very used to putting a bunch of oil and other types of fat in everything we eat on a daily basis. Especially in baking, most dishes tend to have a lot of sugar, which also isn’t healthy for our bodies. This is why nowadays people are starting to make a lot of healthy recipes. Cooking,

I love teaching kids about cooking and baking, because it’s amazing to see them having fun and learn how to make something delicious from just a couple of ingredients. Of course, we all love eating too, but the wonderful thing about cooking is that if something comes out wrong, just try making it again using a different recipe. Cooking is an essential life skill that everyone needs to know, and it is important for everyone to be leading a healthy lifestyle!

- Shreya Kadiyala YEF Member

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YEF COURSES

Creative and Content Writing Summers have always been a time of visiting family in India, reading books under the blissful hum of a reliable air conditioner, and swimming under the unrelenting sun. Neither the blistering humidity of Uttarakhand, nor the dry heat of Arizona has ever been an obstacle to exploring the great outdoors with friends. But this year, it’s not the same YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

Those of us privileged enough to quarantine during this destructive pandemic have slowly seen the options of entertaining and engaging ourselves dwindle. As we adjust to new methods of communication and social interaction, many of us feel restless. As an incoming college freshman, however, I see quarantine as an opportunity, not only to better myself, but also to give back to the community at a time of crisis. Quarantine, for highschool graduates like myself, is an immense free period-- the amount of time we may not see again until we retire. I’ve chosen to dedicate this time, instead, to several outlets, one of them being the Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF), founded through Arizona40


based Women’s Empowerment Forum. This grassroots organization is intent on building a community of youth at a difficult time, and offering educational summer courses meant to engage and empower young students. Still, all of this is not without a greater cause. YEF works closely with India’s Ekal Vidyalaya, a non-profit organization which aims to provide every child in rural India a basic education. YEF courses raise funds in the form of donations, enabling the education of children across India. Through YEF, I’ve been able to kickstart my own course: Content and Creative Writing, exploring both my passion of mentoring younger students, and writing. At a time when students are coming out of online schooling and adjusting to life largely indoors, YEF summer

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classes like mine provide an opportunity for social and educational interaction. Content and Creative Writing teaches students ages ten and older essential writing skills, not only to build the foundational skills necessary for future schooling, but also to encourage pupils to use their imaginations and grasp their passions. Students have published blogs, created websites through a free platform, composed poetry, and as the course wraps up, written flash fiction. I believe writing is an excellent tool to bridge the gap between ideas and action. When students are exposed to such courses, they learn to better express themselves on paper and eventually verbally. I began writing stories in elementary school. As an avid reader, I was fascinated with the components of a story- What

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YEF COURSES

made a piece compelling? Why did characters act the way they did? In freshman year, I took my first creative writing class, and was introduced to a world of nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, and more. I took classes outside of school, got involved with the literary and arts magazine, and I could not stop writing. Then junior year, I jumped from writing screenplays to producing a short film for Bow Seat, an art activism organization advocating for climate justice. My journey didn’t stop there-- writing allowed me to grow and develop my passion for activism and storytelling. It allowed me not only to understand the impact of a story, but also the impact I could have. YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

Creative and Content writing caters to a variety of students and I hope it encourages them to begin their own journeys. The hard skills that come with writing blog posts and stories-composing a hook, using evidence, learning to transition between concepts, and utilizing elements of plots-- pave the way for more complex and useful skills. Putting to use these factors allows students to build communication and interpersonal skills. As they learn to share work, speak in class, and take constructive criticism, students’ writing abilities also mature. Oftentimes, younger students are not provided with creative writing resources coming into upper school. When these students are asked to compose compelling essays or personal 42


statements, they approach such tasks without an open mind, instead defaulting to overdone templates and stiff, boring styles. Delving into poetry and storytelling encourages students to think uniquely, using figurative language such as imagery and more effectively use rhetoric to illustrate their point. Writing comes hand in hand with reading. Growth in one’s writing skills is very much linked with one’s relationship with reading. To author excellent writing, you must read excellent writing. One part of the class curriculum is reading and watching examples of the writing styles students have been asked to emulate. Every lecture, discussion, and assignment

works to enhance the different skills needed for remarkable writing. As the summer slowly comes to a finale, YEF is determined to use its momentum to build community and provide youth with the tools needed to grow and thrive. I’ve learned from my students as they have from me and each student who graduates from a YEF course is that much better equipped for their future. We hope you will follow us in our coming endeavors.

- Poulami Soni YEF Member

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YEF COURSES

Genetics Course YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM MAGAZINE | VOL 1, ISSUE 1

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Senior year being completed, I was ready to let go of my high school roots and begin a new life with new people in a completely new place. The summer was meant as a buffer between that time of complete certainty as a mere high schooler and that of complete uncertainty as finally a college student. It was time to have a summer free of planning for the future and academic commitments, a time to develop myself as a human being ready to venture off into the real world.

I took my first incredibly huge step towards this goal by working with the Women’s Empowerment Forum as a part of my Senior Research Project. There was a huge influx within the BASIS population of intricate and complex science research that had been done by various students over the years, matched by a small number of projects pertaining to social, political, and environmental activism. So, I decided to work outside of my comfort zone and reach out to Mrs. Lalitha Byra, the founder of the WEF. The WEF works with women to better provide them with the necessary tools and aid to overcome life’s obstacles. And while most adults would have been apprehensive with the fact that a high school senior would soon be taking over the social media aspect of a non-profit organization, Mrs. Byra welcomed the idea with open arms and immediately put me to work. At the time, the WEF was advertising an NRI marriage bill petition which I quickly transformed into my social media activism project. I would post on all of the relevant social media sites which - in a month- proved to be Facebook and Instagram and continue to monitor the likes, shares and comments that each post received, while simultaneously observing the number of signatures the petition had gotten after each post. Up until May, this research and coursework was the only source of productivity I had, working day after day to polish a presentation that would essentially be seen by the entire BASIS community. I had signed myself up to write a blog about my findings every week, manage several different social media accounts and the statistics attributed to each, and finally create a concise presentation that I would have to explain and record

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YEF COURSES for a final review. This was all independent. I did have advisors to nudge me towards the right direction but the question, research method and everything else was up to my discretion. But then it was all over. My high school career. My Senior Research Project. The constant grind for tests and managing due dates. I was no longer a high school student. I also thought my journey with the WEF had ended as soon as my SRP had. But soon after, Mr. Shyam Byra and Mrs. Lalitha Byra had introduced me to a new youth led division of the WEF, hoping that I could contribute my leadership skills to the overall dynamic of the team. I was introduced to the rest of the team through one of our membership meetings and only then did I realize that as a senior I was the oldest one in the group. It was so amazing to see such young talented individuals gather together to coordinate amazing classes for a national audience. These students, some as young as thirteen, worked day and night to perfect every aspect of this newly founded branch, inspiring me to become a part of it. Being a part of this organization was unlike any leadership position that I held before because it required

not only a strong work ethic but patience and diligence to work with young kids every week. By the end of the first YEF summer, I noticed that answering questions didn’t seem so stressful and depleting and I learned more about myself as a teacher and person along with the students learning about the particular topic at hand, which is why I continued to make the nouveau journey with the YEF leaders and members. That being said, the YEF course that I decided to offer was Genetics. My first encounter with Genetics was in eighth grade, when my biology teacher offered biotechnology as an elective. As middle school students, we learned the basics of complex processes such as gel electrophoresis, Western Blot techniques, bacterial transformation and the science behind genetically modified organisms. That class truly broadened my horizons, fascinating me to the point of learning more about the subject and making me capable of critical thinking and analysis. I continued this scientific crusade in high school as well, taking the actual Genetics class. We worked with machinery and DNA, worked on case studies and discussed the several

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ethical components to such a new science. I developed a new affinity for Genetics because I realized that the subject encompassed all other subjects. Mathematics, Literature, Law and Ethics. Knowing my curious self, engaging in genetics did not stunt my educational growth but rather fostered a new sense of childlike wonder to learn and delve deeper into the subject. So, I volunteered to teach Genetics any kids who were willing to embark on this fairly recent and not very well known (among younger children) branch of science. Our first class was about the basic unit of life: cells. I explained the function of the cell and each organelle inside, completing the class with an analogy activity to compare the organelles to daily household items as a way of removing the complicated aspect of this lesson. The next class was about the genetic material in the body, otherwise known as DNA and RNA. Engaging the kids was much easier with this lesson because it was DNA extraction time! As we saw the DNA unravel in the cup filled with strawberries and isopropyl alcohol, I saw the kids’ faces light up simultaneously. We went through the world of chromosomes, Punnett

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squares, Hardy Weinberg and even Genetically Modified Organisms. They asked questions, solved the homework problems and created a presentation for the last class. These students were so involved in the subject that I had grown to love so it was an amazing opportunity to experience the teacher and leader balance at a young age and we hope to continue on the student and member experience for several more years, hopefully bringing knowledge to more children nationally and supporting such a wonderful organization that is EKAL Vidyalaya.

- Sakshi Karra YEF Member

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YEF TEAM 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SHREYA KADIYALA

ARPANA AJITH

SUHAS KADIYALA

SWAPNIL KATIKANENI

Board of Director

Board of Director

Board of Director

Board of Director

YEF TEACHERS

MICHELLE ROSS YEF Teacher

POULAMI SONI YEF Teacher

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SAKSHI KARRA

VARUN BOSE

YEF Teacher

YEF Teacher

ABHINAV VISHNUVAJHALA YEF Teacher

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YEF MEMBERS

GAUTHAM

AASHI HEMDEV

AKHIL DURVASULA

ANSHULA SIVUDU

GARIMA H

NIDHI CHINTALA

HASINI CHINTALA

MOHNISH ALLADU

HIMAJA JONNAKUTI

SARAYU NIPPANI

AARUSH REDDY

YEF Member

YEF Member

KASHVI GUPTA YEF MEMBER

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

YEF Member

SRINIKETH GANTI 49

YEF MEMBER

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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FORUM

PRESENTS

Online Summer Camp For All Ages In June & July

ALL Ages Welcome! May vary for some courses

2022

A Safe, Fun, hands-on way to learn

Learn New Skills By Teens & Kids For Kids & Teens.

GREAT WAY FOR KIDS AND TEENS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE! Courses Offered:

ROBOTICS

CHESS

BOOK CLUB

SPEECH AND DEBATE

COOKING

LEARN TO SPEAK SPANISH

PYTHON PROGRAMMING

FITNESS

PSYCHOLOGY & NEUROSCIENCE

CREATIVE WRITING

YOGA

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PRICING MAY VARY DEPENDING ON COURSE

MORE INFORMATION COMING OUT VERY SOON! (623) 688-1405 | YEF@WEFUS.ORG | WWW.WEFUS.ORG/YEF

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