The first YPI cohort to resurrect a previous cohort’s topic, Cohort 6 adopted Cohort 4’s vision of revolutionizing the way teens view volunteerism. The aim of their REV 2.0 project was to shift the perspective from that of “mandatory community service”–itself seemingly an oxymoron–to a lifelong dedication to meaningful philanthropy. By picking up where Cohort 4 left off, Cohort 6 enjoyed the benefit of having more time to expand the scope of REV in terms of programming offered, populations served, and recognition gained.

Building from Cohort 4’s implementation manual, the students launched efforts to mobilize youth volunteers in the Tulsa community, including:

• Created a project website with a link to resources including a national registry of volunteer opportunities to quickly link students to local volunteer opportunities.

• Visited four Tulsa-area high schools to promote positive volunteerism. The cohort created a booth that they set up at schools, where students could learn about and sign up for volunteer opportunities.

• Organized two Volunteer Flash Mobs, mobilizing students to serve at the Living Arts’ “Dia de los Muertos” event and the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure event.

• Presented at the Oklahoma Student Council State Convention in 2013 to an audience of 1800 youth from across the state.

• Partnered with the Tulsa Area United Way to support the Day of Caring in 2013, mobilizing over 400 students from around Tulsa to volunteer.

A major highlight of Cohort 6’s efforts was the Volunteer Summit held in September 2013. Over 20 local non-profits attended a luncheon to learn about the REV project. OU-Tulsa President Gerry Clancy and former mayor of Tulsa Kathy Taylor were the keynote speakers, and guests also heard about the potential for effective teen partnerships from Tom Taylor, Executive Director of Emergency Infant Services, and Cohort 6 student Anna Bebermeyer, who also served on EIS’ junior board of directors. Approximately 60 attendees left with a better understanding of Cohort VI’s efforts to build partnerships between local youth and not- for-profit organizations to create meaningful, sustained philanthropy for generations to come.

The mobilization campaign culminated in the MLK Day of Service in January 2014. The cohort partnered with the MLK Society to advertise and recruit teen volunteers for the event. As a result of these efforts, more than 100 youth volunteers participated in the Day of Service at Guthrie Green by packaging 3,240 pounds of food for the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. The cohort garnered great media coverage to help Tulsa see the power of teen volunteers, getting spots on three different news programs.

In an interview, YPI alumna Anna Bebermeyer reflects on her cohort’s experience and growth in the program. “I feel it was a transformative experience for our cohort. I watched over those three years as my peers evolved in a remarkable way. Many of them expected YPI to be easy, because they were good at school and other extracurriculars. But the truth is that we had to struggle to make a meaningful difference, and that in itself was an important lesson in philanthropy and real life... All the lessons learned along the way were what made the program so valuable and unique.”