EUELL A WILSON CENTER INC

AT THE EUELL A. WILSON CENTER, WE ENRICH THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF "AT RISK" YOUTH LIVING IN SOUTHEAST FORT WAYNE BY OFFERING TRANSFORMATIVE AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING FOR THE NOMINAL RATE OF JUST 1 PER WEEK. IN 2023, WE SERVED LOW-INCOME KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. WE SUPPORTED THESE YOUNG PEOPLE IN NUMEROUS WAYS: 1 - STUDENTS DEVELOP MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING. AT EAWC, WE DO MUCH MORE THAN OFFER MERE SUPERVISION: WE ARE LIKE FAMILY. MOST YOUNG PEOPLE WHO COME TO EAWC JOIN US AS CHILDREN AND CONTINUE TO REGULARLY ATTEND OUR PROGRAMMING THROUGH THEIR TEENAGE YEARS, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO FORM MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CARING STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. ALTHOUGH YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS FACE MANY OBSTACLES IN LIFE, STUDIES SHOW THAT AT-RISK YOUTH WHO HAVE A MENTOR ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED. 2 - WE MAINTAIN A CULTURE OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND OFFER ACADEMIC SUPPORT. ACADEMIC SUPPORT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE STUDENTS WE SERVE, WHO FACE PERSISTENT ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. THROUGH OUR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM, WE GIVE STRUGGLING STUDENTS TARGETED INTERVENTIONS, ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING, AND ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALIZED LESSON PLANS. ADDITIONALLY, ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE HOMEWORK HELP AND PARTICIPATE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS, S.T.E.M. AND FIELD TRIPS THAT SUPPORT ACADEMIC SUCESS. IN ADDITION, FIELD TRIPS ARE DESIGNED TO ENRICH THEIR EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE CULTURAL DIVERSITY. 3 - STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED WITH SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THEM TO ACHIEVE LIFE SUCCESS. TO SET PARTICIPANTS ON THE PATH FOR FUTURE SUCCESS, WE OFFER CURRICULA AND ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON CAREER AWARENESS, POSTSECONDARY PREPARATION, SOFT SKILLS TRAINING, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY. 4 - STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND WELLNESS. PARTICIPANTS HAVE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE THROUGH ORGANIZED SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PICKLEBALL AND YOGA. WE ALSO OFFER A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING (E.G., NUTRITION AND COOKING CLASSES) AND OVERALL WELLNESS (E.G., A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM, EMOTIONAL WELLNESS PROGRAMMING, COUNSELING FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN, AND ABSTINENCE EDUCATION). 5 - STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED IN SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. EAWC, WE ENSURE THAT EACH YOUNG PERSON WE SERVE FEELS VALUED AND LOVED, AND, THANKS TO OUR BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS, PARTICIPANTS LEARN TO COOPERATE, RESPECT ONE ANOTHER, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, AND DEMONSTRATE SELF-CONTROL, PATIENCE, AND KINDNESS. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND, LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMMING (I.E. OUR JEWELS AND ONYX PROGRAMS, OUR LEADERSHIP LEARNING CURRICULUM AND COMMUNITY SERVICE). YOUTH LEARN SKILLS NECESSARY TO RECOGNIZE AND CONTROL THEIR EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIORS; ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS; MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS AND SOLVE CHALLENGING SITUATIONS; AND SET AND ACHIEVE POSITIVE GOALS. 6 - YOUTH ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE CAREERS THROUGH OUR "WORK READY YOUTH," FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WORK READY YOUTH PROGRAM ARE TO HELP PARTICIPANTS BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR FUTURE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND TO GIVE THEM THE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCES, AND CONFIDENCE THEY NEED TO OBTAIN AND KEEP A JOB. PARTICIPANTS FIRST PARTICIPATE IN THE EXTENSIVE CAREER EXPLORATION CURRICULUM, THROUGH WHICH THEY EXAMINE THEIR UNIQUE SKILLS AND INTERESTS,EXPLORE VARIOUS CAREER OPTIONS (ESPECIALLY CAREERS IN HIGH GROWTH INDUSTRIES), LEARN ABOUT TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS, AND CREATE A DETAILED PERSONAL PLAN. THEY ALSO EXPLORE IMPORTANT SOFT SKILLS AND PRACTICE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE KEY TO OBTAINING AND KEEPING A JOB (RESEARCHING OPEN POSITIONS, CREATING A RESUME, PARTICIPATING IN AN INTERVIEW, ETC.). 7 - FINALLY, WE ALSO OFFER PROGRAMMING TO ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS' FAMILIES. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE FAMILIES OF THE YOUTH WE SERVE FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, THEY ALSO HAVE MANY STRENGTHS, AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IS NOT JUST VALUABLE-IT IS ESSENTIAL TO THEIR CHILD'S ACADEMIC SUCCESS. RESEARCH HAS REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED THAT CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR EDUCATION HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE THAN CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE INVOLVED TO A LESSER DEGREE. IN ADDITION, EAWC PROVIDES EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO, LEARN, GROW AND THRIVE; PROGRAMMING INCLUDES INTERPERSONAL AND FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT.