As one of the hotspots for technological advancement and growth, Silicon Valley has become a place where many dream of moving to, whether for its advanced education or high work salaries. Complementary to its treasurous opportunities and resources, the region has its fair share of struggles and challenges. From students to adults, different people face different problems ranging from dealing with mental health issues to having writer’s block when working on college applications.

Silicon Valley Youth Channel was founded during the pandemic and is comprised of students in the Bay Area. Our team is made of combination of writers and designers ranging from high school to college who hold a strong passion to empower community engagement, civic awareness, and media literacy among the Silicon Valley youth. As a student-run nonprofit educational organization, the mission of SVYC is to re-discover Silicon Valley through the eyes of youth, where members aim to cover topics ranging across the arts, mental health issues Issues, climate change, and more.

This issue takes readers through stories that spotlight humanities teachers’ opinion on modern college applications and a student’s reflections on the competitiveness among students in applying for college. Additionally, the issue delves into the arts, from featuring one of the only Latin American studio owners to bringing light to the lack of funding and support for expressive arts compared to other fields in the region. Introducing the local school solution for COVID-19, this magazine informs the readers that mental health issues during the pandemic area should be a part of people’s concern.

In the future, SVYC plans to publish monthly issues and frequent online articles centered around the youth of Silicon Valley and the nuance behind their experiences. Our cycle 1 magazine issue can be found here.