Thank you for your votes!

Voting is closed and results are revealed tomorrow. Before we hear the final results I just wanted to thank everyone. I received emails from friends and family asking everyone to vote. Facebook was covered with support for OYE and friends were coming up to me saying they were helping spread the word. Time and time again OYE supporters have come out in force to vote and donate. The regional Stay Classy voting was a powerful testament to the strength and energy in the OYE family. So thank you from the bottom of our heart.

I jumped on quickly to see if there was any news and was excited to see that almost all the recent activity in DC was for OYE. Take a look:

This is an image of the final voting activity in the DC region.

You guys rocked it, and we are very grateful. Results will be posted tomorrow afternoon so fingers crossed!

OYE RITMO Breaks it Down at Comvida

At an event hosted by Comvida, another local foundation that works with and supports youth, OYE's radio group demonstrated how we break it down on the dance floor. Check out Jarli, Sophia, Ivelis, Cesar, Gustavo, and Luis represent OYE.

One more push!

http://www.stayclassy.org/classy-awards?city_id=19

It is so encouraging to see all the support that has gotten OYE into second place! Thank you to everyone who voted. We are almost there but we need one more push to the top.

Please post this link on your wall: http://www.stayclassy.org/classy-awards?city_id=19 and then email your friends and family for a few more votes.

Again, thank you for your votes and energy this far. We can win this but we need all the votes we can get before voting ends tomorrow!

Expressing Our Rights

Comvida, another local youth oriented organization, held an event October 7th, 8th, and 9th at which youth in El Progreso expressed their rights. The event targeted local youth and brought various institutions to the stage where they expressed their rights. Day one of the event was composed of a youth art workshop. Day two, was comprised of youth dances ranging from break-dance to danza folklorica. The final day culminated in an exposition of student theater. Throughout each day of events youth and local social activists reaffirmed the rights that everychild has.
Bringing together hundreds of high schoolers and middle schoolers from as far away as two hours, the event was a great opportunity for students of diverse backgrounds to share in expressive and culture activities that encourage their creative and individual growth.
OYE Ritmo choreographed a dance and represented our youth. You can see their dance above.

OYE Competes and Needs Your Vote

Vote for OYE today!

Organization for Youth Empowerment has been nominated as a Stay Classy Charity of The Year and is now competing as a City Finalist for DC. The Stay Classy Awards are sponsored by NBC and award over $100,000 worth of cash and prizes to deserving charities and individuals every year. This year OYE has the chance to compete for these prizes.

After the initial nomination, judges select charities they feel serve the community and create tangible and positive changes. There are ten categories in eight cities across the US. Each category, seperated by cities, has 10 finalist charities. These City Finalists must compete against eachother by popular online vote to become national finalists.

Help OYE reach the next level by casting your vote today. We have from today, October 9, to Friday, October 22, to collect as many votes as possible. After voting yourself you can help us win this by forwarding the link on to family, friends, and contacts.

The ball is rolling and now it depends on you!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

Promoting Youth Empowerment One Step at a Time

OYE Honduras' volunteer community is litterally stepping up to the fundraising challenge. Mary Clay Thomas and Matt Trybus along with Ben Woodcock will all be running for a cause. Mary Clay and Matt have both tasted the Baleadas of El Progreso, Yoro and volunteered with OYE. They have decided that the simple task of training for and running a half marathon was not challenging enough, and so, have decided to augment their ambitions by adding a $3,000 fundraising goal to benefit OYE. Read their blog and join their cause! Matt and Mary Clay's Blog.

Ben Woodcock has also stepped up to the challenge of long distance running and long distance fundraising. Located in Buffalo, New York, Ben's marathon will led him all the way to Niagra Falls, Canada. However, the $1,500 Ben has set out to raise will find its way back to at-risk youth in Honduras. As a friend of OYE's founder Ana Luisa, Ben demonstrates the strong bonds and personal connections that allow socially oriented non-profits like OYE to succeed. Read more about Ben's endeavers and help him reach his goals at Ben's Blog.

Planning for your Spring Break?

Volunteer in Honduras.

OYE offers a week in the heart of Latin America working with socially active individuals, in-depth cultural immersion and a look into the challenges facing Honduran communities.

Your service-learning week promises to be jam packed with unforgettable memories. During the week you will see first hand the vibrant beauty of the Honduran culture and challenging reality that faces this country. You will become intimate with staff and students, be immersed with families, and of course, sample delicious cultural dishes.

OYE opens the opportunity for you to interact with social activists, experts in Honduran politics, and other unforgettable guests who will walk you though what it is to struggle for change in Honduras. They will also give you insight on how you can participate in this beautiful progress.

Trips also complete a service project with OYE students. Service trips are based on the needs of the organization or our local partners. Past volunteers have: painted murals, built desks, built a sound booth for OYE el Ritmo and much more.

OYE was built and continues to grow on strong personal relationships. As you are learning and working though out the week you will build life-long relationships. Which at times are based purely on broken Spanglish! We can insure that after a week in OYE you will never be the same.

OYE Takes Over Progreso

Taking Over Progreso

In a frenzy of organized chaos, OYE students plastered stickers on bumpers across El Progreso. Our army of youth leaders divided itself into two camps strategically positioned along the main boulevard and in the central park from which they ambushed innocent civilians ignorant to the existence of this youth organization. With the ultimate objectives of promoting OYE as an energetic youth oriented and youth run organization and increasing the publicity of OYE Revista Jovenes (Youth Magazine) members of OYE Revista and OYE’s Radio group took to the streets today. Selling OYE t-shirts, stickers, and issues of Revista Jovenes, OYE’s youth captured the attention of Progreso and left and impact visible on the bumpers of Progreso’s taxis.



Aside from boosting sales of the magazines, this was a great opportunity for OYE’s youth to give OYE a face in the community. Each year local recognition for this organization grows, but it is hard for a stranger to understand the unique youth led dynamic of our program. Events like this, organized and executed by our youth, leave a great impression on the community and move OYE in a positive direction.