(Palmdale, CA – March 4, 2025) On Saturday, March 15th from 1:00 – 4:00pm, Antelope Valley YouthBuild (a program of Advancing Communities Together) will be hosting a Neighborhood Block Party at their campus, located at 38626 9th St. East in Palmdale. The event has been planned and organized by students at Antelope Valley YouthBuild as part of their Trimester 2 Community Action Project. The Neighborhood Block Party will be a day full of fun, food and community spirit, and community members and businesses throughout East Palmdale are all invited to attend.
The students organizing the event are primarily between the ages of 18-29 years old and came to Antelope Valley YouthBuild to find a second chance to earn their high school diploma while also developing leadership and life skills and receiving job training. At the start of the 2024-25 school year, students conducted a social investigation survey to identify their community’s primary concern. The survey results were evaluated by students, families, community members and staff. One issue that came up in the surveys was a sense of disconnection within the East Palmdale community and that neighbors did not know each other very well. Students felt that a Neighborhood Block Party would be a great way to start creating opportunities to bring neighbors together and create new connections in their community.
According to Olivia Cherry, Antelope Valley YouthBuild’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, “This Neighborhood Block Party is a hands-on, service-learning initiative designed to engage our participants in community building, leadership, and resource mobilization.” Community members and their families will be able to groove to the rhythm of music, enjoy delicious offerings from local food vendors, and discover valuable community resources available to them and their families. “This project aligns with our commitment to experiential learning, social responsibility, and youth leadership development, ensuring participants gain real-world skills in event planning, teamwork, and community outreach while making a meaningful impact.”
The Block Party is providing participants at Antelope Valley YouthBuild an opportunity to organize and lead interactive games, activities and educational projects that foster neighborhood engagement and unity. The event will feature carnival games and opportunities to forge new friendships and strengthen existing bonds with specially designed relationship-building games aimed at fostering a stronger sense of community among neighbors. Additionally, students have had a chance to collaborate with local businesses, nonprofits, and service providers to bring valuable resources to the community, promoting essential services.
"We hope that this Block Party will create a positive impact in our community, paving the way for greater success," said student J. Ruiz.
Antelope Valley YouthBuild’s Neighborhood Block Party is a free event, open to the entire community. Community members of all ages can RSVP for the event here, but an RSVP is not required to attend. Stop by anytime between 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Any local vendors who are interested in tabling at the event, can complete this form.
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About Advancing Communities Together/ Antelope Valley YouthBuild
Advancing Communities Together (ACT) is a non-profit organization that works to transform the lives of young people and their communities. ACT does this by providing academic and career readiness opportunities, building and nurturing the spirit of young people, and the communities they reside in through social justice, advocacy, and agents of change. Antelope Valley YouthBuild is a leadership development program that offers opportunity youth aged 18-29 an accredited high school diploma through our education partner YouthBuild Charter School of California. To learn more, visit: act4avyouth.org