NextGen Greenstitch Program Reflections on Greenstitch from high school interns Compiled by Cory van Gelder
The Community Center’s Greenstitch Youth Climate Action program empowers local teens to become environmental leaders while building confidence, commu- nity, and real-world skills. Each school year, local high school students have the opportunity to gain hands- on experience through the Community Center’s Greenstitch Youth Climate Action internship. Open to students in all programs including Sea-DISC, TEAM, and Pathways, the internship empowers young people to take meaningful action on environmental issues while building leadership skills, working alongside peers, and making a difference in their own community. As a new school year begins, we’re sharing reflections from three recent Greenstitch interns about what they learned, what inspired them, and why they would encourage other students to participate. Eleanor Kernodle - Sea Disc “The community and true compassion for the environment was why I loved Greenstitch. Whether I was meeting with Cory and all the Greenstitchers or walk- ing around the Community Center, I felt the love and support. I loved how this translated so well into the actions we were taking for the environment.” Fiona O’Connor – Sea-Disc “I would recommend Greenstitch for any Sea-Disc student that is looking for a close knit community that is passionate and caring for the planet. I learned how to take initiative and find different approaches to help the climate.” Julia Ng Heth - Pathways “What I appreciated is that I got to be involved in my community along with six or seven other people my age and Cory. The way that Pathways is set up, you take two classes a week at Tamescal and other requirements at College of Marin. In many internships students are the only intern and often in Berkeley or San Francisco. I felt lucky to stay locally connected with like minded people my age. This was very motivating, it gave me a space to think really big which is some- thing we talked about a lot. It was incredible to have big ideas and try to make them happen with a team of people who also really wanted to make that happen. There was a wide range of projects to try your hand at from putting on events to making murals. There were so many different modes of activism and learning that we got to experience and we made connections with different organizations doing climate work. “
Are you a teen—or do you know a teen—interested in learning more about Greenstitch Youth Climate Action? Email Program Lead Cory van Gelder at corylvg@gmail.com.
Milestones by Alexa Davidson
tions and best wishes to the happy couple as they begin this exciting new chapter together. Emma Purkey and Sam Toriggino were married on August 1, 2026, in a beautiful ceremony in Santa Margarita, California. Emma, now Emma Toriggino, was raised in Woodacre and is a Lagunitas School alumna. Over the years, she shared her musical talents through Family Music Hour and today she and Sam reside in San Francisco where Emma is a school teacher. We send our warmest congratulations and best wishes to Emma and Sam on their marriage. It’s the Big Time! Happy 50th! This fall, we’re celebrating two milestone birthdays on our leadership team. Helen Ferlino, our Director of Finance & Administration, celebrates her 50th birthday in August, followed by Jessica O’Connell, our Director of Advancement, in Septem- ber. We wish them both a year filled with joy, adventure, and all the celebration they deserve. A Well-Earned Retirement After caring for generations of Valley children since the 1970s, Zoila Berardi is offi- cially retiring from Zoila’s Afterschool Childcare Program. Now in her 80s, Zoila leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of love, care, and unwavering dedication to our community’s families. As mentioned on our front page, we’ll have the oppor- tunity to honor and celebrate Zoila’s remarkable contributions at the Community Center Benefit on October 10. We hope you’ll join us in thanking her for decades of making the Valley a better place for children and families. Have a milestone to share? Whether you’re celebrating a new baby, graduation, milestone birthday, anniversary, retirement, or another special life event, we’d love to help celebrate with our community. Please send your milestone to adavidson@ sgvcc.org to be included in a future issue of Stone Soup
One of the greatest joys of living in a small community is celebrating life’s mile- stones together. Welcome, Little Ones! With great joy, we celebrate the arrival of two new babies. On May 21, 2026, Ceanna VanGelder and her husband, Victor Kuo, welcomed their son, Enno Van Kuo. Ceanna, an Open Classroom alumna and daughter of Woodacre residents Cory VanGelder, Community Center team member, and Mark Wilson, are begin- ning an exciting new chapter as grandparents. We also congratulate Anna Miles (Rebscher) and her husband, Kevin Miles, on the birth of their son, Henry Stephen Miles, on June 24, 2026. Proud Woodacre grandparents Carol Rebscher, former Community Center Board President, and Steve Rebscher, Lagunitas School Board Member, are absolutely over the moon. Wedding Bells Skyler Pemberton and Peter Hope were married on June 6, 2026, in a beautiful ceremony in Inverness. A Lagunitas native, Skyler is now Skyler Hope, joining Peter, who grew up in Inverness. Skyler has long been part of the Community Cen- ter family, helping lead our Middle School Empowerment Groups and previously working in both our LOFT and Zoila youth programs—a fitting legacy, as the Zoila program is named for her grandmother, the founder of the program. We wish Skyler and Peter a lifetime of happiness together. Andrea Giacomini and Matthew Brockley were married on June 27, 2026, at Boylan’s Barn in Lagunitas. Lifelong Valley residents and proud Lagunitas School alumni, Andrea and Matt celebrated their marriage surrounded by the community and family connections that have shaped their lives. Matt also previously served on the Community Center’s Board of Directors. We extend our heartfelt congratula-
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