MAPPING YOUR JOURNEY TO POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS
The YMCA Achievers program is a national college readiness program designed to help teens through academic support, career exploration, and mentoring. The Achievers program encourages teens to raise their academic standards and explore diverse college & career options. Teens also develop a positive sense of self, build character, and meet and interact with professionals who serve as role models to inspire them to greater heights. Meetings times, dates, and locations are determined by the school and their advisors.
OUR MISSION
The central purpose of the Y Achievers Program is to help teens establish and pursue high educational and career goals resulting in high school graduation and acceptance to an institution of higher learning or successful adoption of a vocation.
We target schools that have low graduation rates, few college and career readiness resources, and a large percentage of low-SES students. It is crucial that students, particularly in low-income areas, start thinking about their post-secondary options as early as possible so they can enter high school focused on long-term goals.
ENROLLMENT FOR Y ACHIEVERS
Each teen enrolled in the Y Achievers program through a school affiliation will receive instruction from the Overcoming Obstacles and/or Success Bound curriculum and attend two one-hour sessions per week for 31 weeks, which may be during the school day in their career pathways courses. The Overcoming Obstacles and Success Bound curriculum teaches students the skills they need to achieve success. Each week, there are different lessons covering items such as interview techniques, conflict resolution, developing financial responsibility, visiting colleges, resume writing, completing financial aid applications, and stress management.
Students enrolled in Y Achievers whose school does not offer a club or career pathways class can use the program as an added resource. Students can choose what activities and programming they wish to attend.
All students will have the opportunity to attend events such as college fairs, college tours, college games, and teen summits organized by the Y. These events will give students the opportunity to listen to guest speakers with experience on a variety of subjects.
Students registered for Y Achievers automatically gain access to opportunities with all of our partnering organizations and our monthly newsletter filled with information on upcoming events, scholarships, and even monthly raffles!
The program cost is FREE (some special events may require transportation & lodging costs).
VOLUNTEER WITH Y ACHIEVERS
Y Achievers loves to provide quality events for our teens but we can't do it without our amazing volunteers. We are always looking for people wanting help out with these occasions.