GED, STEM Ed, & Alternative Education
Youthwork’s Education program, the School of Success, is an innovative social services rich educational program that addresses the problem of high school dropouts as well as school "push-outs" in their transition to meaningful work and higher education. Through daily GED preparatory instruction, tutoring, job training, college instruction, and counseling, youth develop critical work habits and basic educational aptitude.Our education programming is woven together with job training and skill building though our entire approach to positive youth development.
YouthWorks positive youth engagement program utilizes a wrap-around service approach that combines: community beneficial employment experience with supportive services such as counseling, peer and adult mentoring, individualized job coaching, with G.E.D. or continuing education requirements. These components will be combined with the opportunity, upon successful demonstration of positive program attachment, to engage in graduated career pathway employment through YouthWorks or in the business community.
· All participants will undergo thorough and systematic educational assessment, individual tutoring and classroom learning to match their personal educational levels. This may include: Basic literacy, GED, College Preparation, Makeup and Credit Recovery (for suspended students) and hands on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities.
· Educational hands-on workshops, including outings and exchanges with other agencies and community-based resources for enrichment activities and community exposure will be utilized. These workshops serve to demonstrate to youth other pathways, beyond YouthWorks job-offerings and venues, to promote interest in various careers, the arts, media and the sciences.
· Environmentally-specific workshops will be utilized for greater comprehension of activity specific content, such as Environmental Stewardship, Trail Design and Installation, Erosion Control, Species Identification and Watershed Health and Energy/Water Conservation.
· Learning and applying technical skills through the labor-intensive requirements of river and land restoration.
· Building strong work ethics and skills through team-participation, team-building, peer and adult mentoring, and community organizing activities.
· Life Skills training coursework to include decision-making, stress management, practical daily skills, money management & financial literacy, conflict resolution, and future educational/career success habits.
YouthWorks specilizes in educational programs through hand-on education to participants, as well as to youth in afterschool service learning and community-based hands-on education programs. The aim of these educational projects are to use hands-on projects to:
· Build students academic skills, specifically in Math, Science and Language Arts
· To build teamwork, leadership and collaborative learning skills
· Beautify the school site and improve the natural surroundings
· To increase student’s awareness of environmental issues, especially about water and the river
Weekly one to two hours hands-on service learning sessions at each school site. YouthWorks will provide trained facilitators, project assistants, curriculum and materials. When available and possible, short field trips to the Santa Fe River will be arranged.
Each project will be designed and coordinated with each site coordinator to ensure that we meet school needs and interests as best as possible.
Projects can include:
· Community Garden Projects
· Water Harvesting
· Water Quality Monitoring and Other Environmental Testing
· Erosion Control and Arroyo Restoration
· Tree/Vegetation Planting
· Mural/Art Projects
Curriculum Content Includes:
· Water Science (Hydrological Cycle, Water Quality)
· Social Issues related to water (Consumption, Pollution)
· Rivers, Arroyos and Watersheds
· Historical and Cultural Water Issues (Acequias, Agriculture)
· Other Environmental Issues (Biodiversity, Global Warming)
Chris Aguayo
