Youth Empowerment Through Learning Leading And Serving Inc

THE ORGANIZATION EMPOWERS YOUTH TO RISE AS ACTIVE, HEALTHY, AND PRODUCTIVE SERVANT-LEADERS WITHIN THIER COMMUNITIES.

THE YELLS MENTORING PROGRAM MATCHES HIGH SCHOOL "BIGS" WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL "LITTLES, AND PROVIDES A SERVICE-LEARNING CURRICULUM THAT PREPARES THEM TO DESIGN YOUTH-LED SERVICE INITIATIVES TOGETHER. IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, 17 HIGH SCHOOL BIGS AND 15 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LITTLES FORGED POWERFUL MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT HELPED THEM GROW AS LEADERS WHILE GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. 21/23 (91%) MENTORING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH UPDATED ACADEMIC DATA AVAILABLE SHOWED AT LEAST ONE LETTER GRADE IMPROVEMENT OR MAINTAINED AN "A- OR "B" IN ENGLISH OR MATH DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR. YELLS BIGS PUT THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO WORK BY PLANNING AND SUCCESSFULLY LEADING A FRANKLIN FAIR BLOCK PARTY FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BRINGING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR FUN, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND RESOURCES. AS PART OF THIS EVENT, THEY WROTE PROPOSAL LETTERS, ORGANIZED PARTNERS TO COME TOGETHER TO OFFER RESOURCES FOR SINGLE MOTHERS, HELPED NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POLICE AND COMMUNITY, PROMOTED LITERACY THROUGH FREE BOOKS, AND NURTURED COMMUNITY PRIDE THROUGH SHARED FUN EXPERIENCES FOR OVER 300 ATTENDEES IN OUR FRANKLIN GATEWAY NEIGHBORHOOD. THESE SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIENCES ALLOWED OUR YELLS BIGS AND LITTLES TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND BUILD THEIR CHARACTER AND SELF-ESTEEM. NINETY-SIX PERCENT OF YOUTH REPORTED MAKING BETTER CHOICES BECAUSE OF THE YELLS PROGRAM, 93% STATED THAT THEY BELIEVED THEY HAD MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY, AND 88% SAID THAT YELLS HAS HELPED THEM TO BELIEVE THEY CAN DO HARD THINGS. PARENTS ALSO SEE THE IMPACT. 100% OF MENTORING PROGRAM PARENTS REPORTED THAT YELLS IS HELPING THEIR CHILD SHOW MORE CARE AND KINDNESS TOWARD OTHERS, AND 100% INDICATED THAT THEIR CHILD'S BEHAVIOR HAS IMPROVED DUE TO THE PROGRAM.

THE YELLS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDED POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING LEADERSHIP, ART, RECREATION, CHARACTER BUILDING, SERVICE LEARNING, AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR 30 ELEMENTARY YOUTH DAILY. THE YELLS MODEL ENGAGES THE ENTIRE FAMILY THROUGH PARENT VOLUNTEERING AND PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING WORKSHOPS. OUR WORK IS AT THE FRONT-LINES OF PANDEMIC RECOVERY, ADDRESSING GAPS IN LEARNING AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL OF THE PANDEMIC ON YOUTH AND FAMILIES. NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT (29/30) OF YELLS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM YOUTH WERE SUCCESSFULLY PROMOTED ON GRADE LEVEL IN 2021-2022. PARENTS ALSO REPORTED REMARKABLE GAINS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. NINETY-SIX PERCENT RATED THEIR CHILD'S PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOL AS "EXCELLENT- OR "VERY GOOD" AFTER PARTICIPATING IN YELLS, COMPARED TO ONLY 78% BEFORE THE PROGRAM. SIMILAR GROWTH WAS SHOWN IN LEADERSHIP SKILLS, WITH AN INCREASE FROM 54% RATING THEIR CHILD AS STRONG IN THIS AREA BEFORE ATTENDING YELLS, TO 87% ON POST-SURVEYS AFTER PARTICIPATING. YOUTH ALSO DEMONSTRATED GROWTH IN SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE, WITH 92% OF YELLS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM YOUTH REPORTING THAT THEY FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES AFTER PARTICIPATING IN YELLS. EIGHTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF PARENTS REPORTED THAT THEY HAD LEARNED AT LEAST ONE NEW STRATEGY TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION AT HOME AND 96% SAID THAT YELLS HAS INCREASED THEIR SUCCESS AS A PARENT.

IN 2021-2022, THE YELLS COMMUNITY ACTION CAF EQUIPPED 23 TEENS WITH REAL- WORLD BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS AS THEY MANAGED A REAL COFFEE SHOP (MOBILE CAF DUE TO COVID) THAT SERVES AS A HUB FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, AND EMPOWERMENT. YELLS TEENS HAVE BECOME CAREER- READY, DEVELOPING RESUMES AND APPLYING BUSINESS AND LIFE SKILLS AS THEY ENGAGED NEIGHBORS IN YOUTH-LED EVENTS AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING. IN 2021-2022 YELLS TEENS OFFERED INPUT FOR THE CITY OF MARIETTA'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND MOBILIZED PARENTS TO SHARE THEIR VOICE AS WELL, HOSTED AND ASKED THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS DURING A POLICE TOWN HALL, LED A TRUNK OR TREAT FAMILY EVENT, CREATED PODCASTS, PLANNED A FASHION SHOW EVENT FOR ELEMENTARY YOUTH, AND COORDINATED A MOBILE CAF TO UPLIFT AND SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY SAFELY. THE YOUTH'S PROJECTS STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY BONDS, FOSTER A SENSE OF NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE, AND LEAD TO LONG-TERM CHANGE AS YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES BELIEVE IN THEIR ABILITY TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES, DEVELOP SUPPORT NETWORKS, ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN SCHOOL, GRADUATE READY FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER, OPEN THE DOOR TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND CONTINUE TO REINVEST IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THE PROFESSIONALISM, RESUME WRITING, NETWORKING, AND INTERVIEWING SKILLS WE TAUGHT OUR YOUTH PROVED FRUITFUL AS 8 YELLS TEENS SECURED JOBS. THIS YEAR, 100% OF YELLS COMMUNITY ACTION CAF TEENS AGREED THAT THEY FELT THEY HAD MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITY. WHILE SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY, YELLS TEENS HAVE GROWN PERSONALLY, WITH 81% OF TEENS REPORTING INCREASED (OR MAINTAINING HIGH) LEVELS OF SELF-EFFICACY, 100% MAKING BETTER CHOICES, 100% (11/11 WITH AVAILABLE GRADE DATA) IMPROVING THEIR GRADES OR MAINTAINING AN A OR B IN MATH OR LANGUAGE ARTS, AND 100% OF SENIORS GRADUATING IN 2022. ADDITIONALLY, 100% OF PARENTS REPORTED THAT YELLS HELPS THEM FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

YELLS OFFERED A 45 HOUR/WEEK, FULLY-DAY YELLS SUMMER CAMP FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOUTH. YOUTH ENJOYED AN ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONAL SUMMER WITH DAILY AFFIRMATIONS, STEAM ACTIVITIES, BOOK CLUBS, SPORTS, TEAM CHALLENGES, AND CHOICE CLUBS. WE KEPT YOUTH MOVING AND LEARNING THROUGH FIELDTRIPS TO THE ZOO, A FARM, THE HISTORIC OLD FOURTH WARD, AND THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN. YELLS PARENTS LEARNED STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING LITERACY AT HOME THROUGH OUR "BOOKS AND BREAKFAST" WORKSHOPS FOR YOUTH AND PARENTS HOSTED EACH MORNING BEFORE SUMMER CAMP. TEENS GOT TO DESIGN THEIR IDEAL SUMMER PROGRAM BY VISITING WITH AND INTERVIEWING POTENTIAL WORKSHOP PRESENTERS AT OUR "FACILITATOR FAIR." THIS LED TO AN ACTION-PACKED SUMMER CREATING PODCASTS, LEARNING BODY LANGUAGE THROUGH PLANNING AND PERFORMING THEIR OWN FASHION SHOW, DESIGNING JEWELRY, AND LEARNING ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND VOTING.