Life Skills

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The very nature of YPC’s educational programs, including its choral and performance preparation, instills a level of professionalism and self-esteem in YPC choristers that will serve them throughout their lives.

Starting with its youngest choristers, YPC’s annual Camp Jewell retreat allows the children to experience bonding, working with others, as well as lots of singing! Older choristers have the opportunity to go on tours around the world, socializing and connecting with their peers and meeting and learning about people from different cultures.

Workshops to develop specific skills, such as financial literacy and time management, are led by experts in their field and offered throughout the year to choristers at all grade levels.

YPC choristers are encouraged to pursue a wide variety of interests, including work in STEM fields. Through a partnership with MasterCard, our youngest choristers are able to explore data technology –  inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders. Additionally, PricewaterhouseCoopers offers seasonal financial literacy workshops for all YPC choristers, ranging in subject from saving and spending, budgeting for college, and how to file taxes. Some workshops that have been offered include:

• Saving Matters – for grades 3-5, presented by volunteers from PricewaterhouseCoopers to improve financial literacy
• Saving and Spending – for grades 6-8, also presented by volunteers from PricewaterhouseCoopers to improve financial literacy
• Show Me the Money – for grades 9-12, with Latif Legend, Chief Financial Aid Officer at Columbia University, on financial aid to colleges

WIT was created to empower YPC’s female-identifying choristers and alumnae by encouraging mentoring relationships with accomplished women from a wide variety of professions. An array of WIT programming – such as one-on-one mentoring, networking
opportunities, seminars and the annual WIT Conference – ensures that YPC choristers
and alumnae, who are already on track to attend college, also have the information and
resources to thrive in their careers and in professional relationships in the future.

YPC invites a myriad of guests to participate in panel discussions, representing careers across a broad spectrum of careers and interests. Through conversations with behind-the-scenes team members at the NBA, Universal Music Group, and others, choristers are exposed to a world of possibilities, whether in music, business, or any field they wish to pursue.

Research shows that the implementation of mindfulness into curriculums can lead to higher scores in math, healthier social behavior, and a decrease in aggression. Children trained in mindfulness often excel in the areas of attention span, memory recall, emotional regulation, optimism, stress levels, and empathy. YPC has invited guests from Intermissions and Thrive Global to work with our children and staff, with the aim of ongoing mindfulness practices being embedded into our curriculum and interactions – leading to healthier, happier, and ultimately – more successful graduates.

YPC staff continues to seek out professional development opportunities to remain on the cutting edge of advancements within the music education sector. Staff participate in conducting and vocal masterclasses, participate in national conferences, and maintain memberships in professional organizations including Chorus America, the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and Opera America – all to better serve the YPC community.