Multilingual Youth Taking Action

About

Multilingual Youth Taking Action is a student leadership group created to support and grow our multilingual students across the county into the next generation of leaders. These students carry with them unique and vital language and communication skills, values, traditions and lived experiences that make them fully equipped to help lead our community into the future.

While these attributes are often seen as challenges, Multilingual Youth Taking Action knows them to be valuable assets. That is why our primary mission is to unlock that potential for our English language learning students. By sharing our stories, helping our peers, and celebrating our native cultures and languages we help carve out a place on campus for those who may feel isolated or excluded.

Our group meets once a week, after school to work on leadership development and building a community of support amongst each other. Envision yourself as a leader. Come join us!

Application

We are currently accepting students for the 2024-25 school year. To join, please click the button to fill out a short application.

Apply Now!

For more information, contact Andres Ortiz at anortiz@santacruzcoe.org or 831-466-5713.

Meetings

* Our orientation and first meeting of the 2024-25 school year will be on Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 11am-2pm at Seabright State Beach/Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History (1305 E Cliff Dr. Santa Cruz, CA 95062). At this meeting we will confirm our weekly meeting times and location. We will also take part in a beach cleanup facilitated by Save Our Shores!

Weekly Meetings - Weekly meetings will be held after school. Location and times coming soon. Please bring your Chromebook!

YLLA Monthly Meetings - Generally the third Saturday of the month 11am-2pm with the other YLLA groups (In person only):

*September 21st - Seabright State Beach/Museum of Natural History, 1305 E Cliff Dr. Santa Cruz, CA
October 19th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
November 16th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA
February 1st - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
March 15th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA
April 19th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
May 17th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA

Projects and Events

World Languages Showcase

MYTA members accepting their certificates.

Over 65 students from 5 high school across the county participated in the event.

Family members listen to their student's presentation.

An example of a poster presentation examining cultural identity.

A middle school student reciting his poem.

County Superintendent Dr. Faris Sabbah reading his poem to open the program.

A student giving their poster presentation.

A certificate of completion designed by MYTA students.

Three MYTA students serving as MC's for the evening.

Announcement: World Languages Showcase

This year, Multilingual Youth Taking Action is participating in, and helping to organize the World Language Showcase! The showcase celebrates multilingualism through student poetry recitation, and interactive poster presentations on topics ranging from social and environmental issues to personal stories.

For more information visit: https://ambassadors.santacruzcoe.org/home