Berkeley
| Berkeley | |
 . | |
| Site Information | |
|---|---|
| College | University of California, Berkeley |
| Location | Berkeley, California |
| Dates | July 14 - August 2 |
| Years of Operation | 2010-present |
| Avg. Number of Students | 100 |
| Courses Offered | |
| Service, Leadership & Community Transformation - Civic Leadership Institute (LEAD) | |
| Canon | |
| All of Me | Stairway to Heaven | American Pie | Where Is The Love | |
| Site Specifics | |
| See The Essential CTY for cross-site articles. | |
(Anu is currently working on this page, it will take some time to complete. Feel free to add any more detailed information you might have.)
Berkeley is a CTY-CLI site created in 2010, when the San Francisco site closed. It is predominantly for students who have aged out of the "Regular CTY" program (as they are known there): students finishing 10th-12th grade. The site runs during session 2 only, as session 1 is at the Peabody campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
The site is located just outside the main campus of the University of California, Berkeley, in the Unit 3 Residence halls. The site code is BRK. As the site is CTY-CLI, the only 'course' offered is in Service, Leadership & Community Transformation.
Only about half of the students at this site each year have previously attended a CTY session, but traditions at this site are introduced to (and usually accepted by) all the students.
Contents
Dorms
Ida Sproul, Unit 3 Residence halls. 3rd floor is used for the office and admin; boys are on 4th and 5th; girls on 6th and 7th; instructors, TAs and Admins on 8th. Ida Sproul is one block away from campus and has its own dining hall. Rooms are double or triple occupancy and some are in suites. Each room has one closet, desk, mirror, dresser, and extra-long twin bed per person. Triple rooms have a bunk bed and lofted bed. There is wifi in the rooms and a lounge on each floor. There are laundry machines.
Course
The Civic Leadership Institute course is a Service Learning course organised by the Civic Education Project, which is run by Northwestern University. A detailed course description can be found on the course page: Service, Leadership & Community Transformation. Specifics to the Berkeley site are below.
Field Experiences
Current affiliations with organisations in the local community are:
- Boys and Girls Club
- Glide
- Ebase
- Coalition On Homelessness
- Alemany Farm
- Women's Day Center
- Quesada Gardens
- Literacy for Enviromental Justice
- Death Penalty Focus
Change The World Talks
Change The World talks are talks created by RAs, TAs, or Instructors. They take place at Geneva Hall, the same building where classes take place. Students receive a sheet explaining which talk will take place in which classroom.
Each talk lasted 25 minutes in 2015 and for each 25 minutes, students had five talks to choose from. This lasted from 7:00 pm until 8:25 pm. After the talk, students went to their classrooms and shared their experiences.
Student Life
Activities
One activity period is offered each day (equivalent to a daily activity), lasting roughly 1.5hrs. There are usually 4-5 choices plus the option of signing in or out.
Signing in and out
Students are given the option to sign out with a buddy to roam the Berkeley In Bounds areas, or to sign in and stay within the Residence In Bounds areas.
During the first week, they may do this once between Tuesday and Thursday, and signing in or out is mandatory on Friday. During the second week, students may sign in or out twice between Monday and Thursday, and Friday is compulsory. During the last week, students may sign in or out once between Monday and Wednesday, and Thursday is compulsory.
Dances
The dances have refreshments. These usually consist of chips, soda (including Sprite and diet soda), and water. This is a very nice change from most regular CTY dances, which only have a water fountain for hydration.
The atmosphere is relaxed compared to regular CTY dances - young adults are left to be young adults (but no flashlights).
In 2015 they offered not only chips and soda but also PIZZA at all of the three dances! The dances lasted two hours (8 pm - 10 pm), but at the last dance, you had the option to stay at social time and have s'mores at a bonfire.
Canon
The last four songs are Cupid Shuffle, Stairway to Heaven, American Pie and Where is the Love. It is a new tradition at BRK to play Where is the Love after American Pie, and it was introduced so students who had previously attended regular CTY could experience a change. It has so far proven to be very popular.
In 2015, they only played Where is the Love last on the first dance but in the 2nd and 3rd dance they played it after Stairway to Heaven and before American Pie.
Sleepovers
In 2014, the original plan was for sleepovers to be allowed to boys on the second Friday and to girls on the second Saturday (same floor only). However, soon after this was announced, the girls petitioned successfully for both boys and girls to be allowed sleepovers on the second Friday and Saturday (same restrictions applying).
Sleepovers are also allowed on the last night (third Thursday), under the same previous conditions, and as long as mattresses are returned to their original rooms before 8 am.
In 2015, sleepovers were only allowed on Saturday nights, and on the last night, sleepovers were not allowed.
Traditions
There are a few, increasing each year:
- ERS
- Canon
Love Tape day
This was first brought to Berkeley in 2014 and was held on the second Thursday. It was decided that it would be during the middle of the second week, but there was a speaker on Tuesday (making it inappropriate for students to be covered in tape) and a field experience on Wednesday (which would have resulted in the same problem).
In 2015, there was a spirit week, which was held on the last week (Monday: pajama day, Tuesday: twin day, Wednesday: nothing because of field experience, and Thursday: LOVE TAPE DAY)
Grass Orgies
This is not usually possible in the normal in-bounds areas, however on some activities and when walking to the BART station students will walk through the university campus, where grass orgies are possible. They are also called grorgies.
Passionfruit
In 2015, it was held in front of the Campanile (Sather Tower) and it was from 5:30am-6:30am. There was no SKL. Instead, Welch's passionfruit juice was used.
Giggly Soup
Also known as GS-CLI.
Name
Mr. Chris Worthington, the third speaker at BRK.14, explained how he and his partner were affectionately named the 'Giggly Soup Twins' by his passing father.
Aim
To express gratitude openly and freely.
Instructions
1) Write a note to anyone in CLI (can be students or staff), to express gratitude, admiration, appreciation or just all round good vibes.
2) It must be anonymous (don't sign your name).
3) Drop it in one of the mailboxes on the 3rd floor and an RA will deliver the note.
4) Rinse, and repeat.
Students
Order by year attended, and then alphabetically by first name please.
