Painting Curbs = Building Assets with YCS Summer of Service

On Wednesday July 24, youth participants from the “Summer of Service” program of Youth Community Service (YCS) took part in a local Emergency Preparedness initiative to paint house numbers on the street curbs in the Midtown neighborhood of Palo Alto.

Since last fall, students have been working on the project in various neighborhoods. By painting the street numbers clearly on the curbs, the illuminating white background makes the black street numbers stand out at night.

Palo Alto Fire Chief Eric Nickel points out that “these youth projects directly help the safety of our neighborhoods and community. The clear numbering helps our fire and paramedic crews quickly locate the emergency, often saving seconds that may help save lives and property.”

“I’ve been on an ambulance or fire engine,” adds Chief Nickel, “ searching for the house number in the dark and in the rain, and to see a clear number is like a beacon of light.”

This is one example of ways that youth have been serving and giving back to their community through the Youth Community Service “Summer of Service” program.

The curb painting project is part of the Palo Alto Neighborhood’s Emergency Preparedness campaign, chaired by Midtown neighborhood leader Annette Glanckopf. The Emergency Preparedness initiative works in partnership with neighborhood associations and with YCS to paint house numbers on the street curbs.

The team of middle school age youth, along with Midtown neighborhood resident Kathleen Blanchard, painted a total of 45 house numbers on curbs on the 3000 blocks of Emerson Street with guidance from George Browning, a local volunteer.  This is the third neighborhood that youth have worked in. They are scheduled to paint curb numbers again in another Midtown neighborhood on Thursday, Aug 2.

The project is also inspired by the Caring Neighborhoods Challenge of the Palo Alto Developmental Assets Initiative, designed to help young people experience caring neighbors. Through this project youth feel empowered and enjoy being able to give back in a fun way.

Over 100 youth in the YCS “Summer of Service” program travel throughout the summer to various locations across the Peninsula to serve and learn together. Students who join the program learn valuable leadership skills, increase their connectedness to their community, and actively take part in civic engagement. Thanks to our Project Safety Net partner YCS for this event and the write up about it.  To learn more about Youth Community Service, and ways that young people can get involved, visit their website at www.youthcommunityservice.org.