News & Announcements

On Wednesday, October 16th, 48 YPC student leaders and staff representing 9 different YouthBuild programs came together for a one day leadership retreat at TreePeople in Beverly Hills. The purpose of the retreat was to connect with the youth leadership in the YouthBuild movement.

Is earning your high school diploma worth the time and effort? Definitely! With a diploma, you can increase your earning potential and find more job opportunities, go to college or trade school, complete an apprenticeship and get a union job, start a business, or join the military. If you had to leave high school early and are looking for a second chance to earn your diploma, YouthBuild Charter School of California can help!

Big news! YouthBuild’s headquarters, YouthBuild USA, is now YouthBuild Global!
As the convener, collaborator, and catalyst for the entire YouthBuild movement,
the name change affirms their service to our network as truly global. It’s an
exciting time to be a part of YouthBuild, and we will continue building brighter futures together! Check out the full press release by clicking the linked title above.

Before a young person can officially become a member of one of our partner YouthBuild programs and a student at our school, they must complete a process called Mental Toughness. Learn more about what Mental Toughness is in this article written by Assistant Principal Celine Massuger.

In this month's Senior Spotlight, we're featuring Jocelynn Reyes-Garcia, a senior at our Fresno site who is on track to graduate in December 2024. "I needed to do this for myself to prove to myself that I am capable and smart enough to graduate so I can start the next chapter of school and enroll in college," she shared. Read our full Q&A with Jocelynn by clicking the link above.

We currently looking for a part-time registrar at our Canoga Park site. Interested? Click the heading for more information and to learn how to apply.

We are extremely saddened to hear about the recent passing of Brenda Mejia, a cherished student from our Avalon site at MBHA YouthBuild. She was involved in a fatal car crash and left behind three young children. We extend our deepest condolences to Brenda's family and loved ones and to the staff and students at the Avalon site. The family shared these beautiful words about her: "Brenda was very free spirited and was always the life of the party. She made light of every situation and never wanted to see anyone upset." If you can, please donate to the GoFundMe set up by her family, linked in the heading above.

Our new San Diego Heart site at Open Heart Leaders was recently on ABC 10 News! April Laster, the Executive Director of Open Heart Leaders, was interviewed and provided a tour of their new space in Downtown San Diego. In addition to the high school program we offer to young people there, Open Heart Leaders also offers life coaching, counseling, and re-entry programs for those formerly incarcerated. Check out the story by clicking on the heading above.

We had an incredible time at YouthBuild Day on Tuesday, April 23rd at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area! We had 13 YouthBuild programs and over 300 young people come out to celebrate. The day featured carnival games, an obstacle course, flag football, sack races, student speeches, arts and crafts, and the In N Out truck.

YouthBuild Charter School of California has launched a new mental health service with Hazel Health. With Hazel Health, students can meet with a licensed therapist virtually or a therapy appointment. Learn more about the services offered!

In this month's Senior Spotlight we're celebrating Rick Espinoza, a senior from our Moreno Valley site at Rising Starts Business Academy. "YouthBuild gave me a chance to turn things around," Rick shared with us. "Now I have a lot more options for the future, and I've had a great time too." Check out our full Q&A with Rick here.

In March, our Palmdale site at Antelope Valley YouthBuild hosted their Trimester 2 CAP (Community Action Project) called “Art Peace.” Art Peace was a community event focused on well-being, fostering community bonding through creative activities. Read more about the event and check out photos by clicking the heading link above!

Melissa Cordova graduated from our El Monte site at the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps in 2013. Since then, she has gone on to earn her Associate's from Pasadena City College, her Bachelor's in Psychology from Cal State Los Angeles, and she was recently accepted to USC to earn her Master's in School Psychology. Read our Q&A with Melissa here.

Students at our Mid-City site have been honing their green thumbs every Friday as part of the YouthBuild Growers Program. Working with the Partnership for Growth Los Angeles, YouthBuild Growers is a hands-on urban farming program that empowers our students with practical gardening expertise and fosters a deeper connection to nature.

We are excited to announce the launch of our Community School Hub! As a Community School, YCSC’s goal is to not just provide wrap-around services, but also to engage with parents and community members to shape the educational experiences and outcomes of our students. Our new Community School Hub is an online portal of resources tailored to the unique needs of our young people, their families and communities.