YEOC kicks off the 2015-16 school year: September and October sessions

September

Encouraging 170 high school students from across the state to dedicate one Saturday a month towards college prep and mentor sessions takes a lot of resources, creativity, and coordination. And as with most student endeavors, it also takes quite a bit of parental support, which is why each YEOC school year begins with an activity-packed parent-student orientation. Led by Foster Associate Director of Diversity & Recruitment Pam Lacson and YEOC Program Manager Korrie Miller, this year’s orientation attendees (a group of nearly three hundred parents and students) learned about program expectations, met the mentors, and sat in on discussions with YEOC alumni and YEOC parents. They also were introduced to program sponsor and major professional service firm EY. After a day full of speakers and introductions, parents and students wrapped up the session with a deep dive into college prep and UW admissions.

See photos from the September session below:

October

With October’s theme centered on team building and networking, the first activity of the day focused on first impressions, specifically, dressing to impress. A bit different than the haute couture designs found on the runways of Milan and New York City, YEOC mentors and mentors-in-training led a fashion show that was all about the importance of looking the part when in a professional environment. Other session activities included college prep workshops and a keynote address from KNDO/KNDU News Reporter Veronica Quintero. Students also participated in their first team-leadership challenge of the year. Dubbed “Mission Impossible,” students were given an emergency scenario and tasked with getting their team members to safety while using limited resources. The session wrapped with mentor meetings.

See photos of the session below:

The mission of the YEOC (Young Executives of Color) program is to cultivate the academic potential of underrepresented high school student leaders in Washington State through college preparation, powerful mentorship, and the development of real life business skills. Find out more about the YEOC program on the Foster website.