Core Programs
The VOM Core Programs are offered as part of member registrations.
Daily Healthy Meals: This program is designed to encourage our youth to have a healthy balanced meal as part of their day. This program incorporates several learning aspects around budgeting, team work, best buying practices, and family unity. This is done by creating a budget for the week, designing a weekly menu, strategically shopping for the menu, organizing the cooking team for the week, organizing and directing the serving team, and sitting down as a unit to eat.
Digital Photography: Digital cameras have been donated to the center from individuals and organizations in the community. Professional photographers have volunteered their expertise in the field and are teaching the teens the art and the profession of digital photography. The teens will put together a body of work and have a photography exhibit displayed in the Sonoma Valley. The focus of the exhibit will be to convey the world through their eyes. This will help bridge the gap between the teens and the adult community by allowing adults to gain a clear understanding of what is beautiful and what is challenging to the teens. It will be a means of artistic expression and communication and give the community an opportunity to understand and the teens a voice to be heard. The Digital photography program is a collaborative effort between the Valley of the Moon Teen Center and The Sonoma Community Center. The goal of this collaboration is to develop the program into an artistic community installation where the resulting photographs of the community will adorn the Hwy 12 corridor in Boyes Hot Springs symbolizing the community strength that the teens at the center have helped to foster.
Job Readiness Certification: This is a certification program designed to help the teens become marketable in today’s work environment. When a teen completes this program a certificate will be issued and they will be ready to go out into the job market. This course includes resume writing, interview techniques, business skills, customer service skills workshop and business communications including voice and email. We also offer special workshops for those interested in working in restaurants or retail establishments. Each workshop consists of at least twelve hours of instruction with hands on training from professional instructors assisting them in choosing the right career path. Valley of the Moon Teen Center in collaboration with Nelson Staffing of Sonoma will be facilitating these workshops. Our local high school is recommending this program to its students.
Personal Development: This course is geared for young men and women who want to improve their self image and self esteem. A board certified Esthetician will be facilitating this program quarterly, with hands on instruction in personal hygiene, basic skin care, make up application, hair styling, color choice and personal appearance. This program works in conjunction with the Job Readiness Certification program in assisting teens with job readiness skills.
Tutoring: This program is provided to all members of the teen center free of charge. We offer assistance in Math, English, Science, CAHSEE Exit Exam Preparation and SAT Preparation.
Cycle Links: Bikes are donated by the community to the Teen Center. The teens rebuild and refurbish the bikes into nearly new condition and then give the bikes back to people in the community who would not be able to otherwise afford a bike for themselves. During this process the teens learn mechanical skills, community giving and a sense of accomplishment. The teens are also given the opportunity to earn a bike for themselves. One point is given for each hour of service to the program. Once the teen has earned 40 points the teen may then choose a bike to refurbish for him or her. The teens have refurbished over 30 bikes and are focusing on rebuilding children's bikes in order to give them away to children who need them. The Cycle Links program is facilitated by our volunteer Bob Albright, who has provided bike refurbishment instruction along with unyielding support and commitment to the program.
Community Garden (in collaboration with Sonoma Ecology Center): The teen center members have their own plot of land at the Community Garden. This is an opportunity not only for the teens to give back to the community, but also to learn valuable skills in sustainable farming and the origins of nutrition. The teens learn about farming and see the process through from planting seeds to getting the produce ready for farmers markets. The teens also harvest some of their produce and bring it back to the center to prepare a healthy meal. This program helps develop healthy eating and living habits in our teens.
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