About YLA

Youth Learning Academy, Inc is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit corporation founded in 2003 by a group of parents and community leaders with a primary mission to engage youth in project-based learning activities that will bolster their academic, career and life skills. For the many students who do not excel in a traditional classroom setting, YLA programs offer active opportunities to learn math and science concepts, connect to the community, explore careers in the building and design fields, and enhance academics, confidence and competence. YLA's programs are all based on a simple methodology that teaches its members how to improve in math and science, explore potential career opportunities in the industries of automotive technology, construction and motorsports and develop their abilities and talents; all with an emphasis to enhance their skills for postsecondary education and to become productive citizens. Headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, YLA programs are currently being offered in five different counties in Virginia: Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Halifax.

YLA is comprised of nearly 746 participants, ages 8-19 and their families all from varied background demographic; fifty-two percent African-American, thirty-six percent Caucasian; ten percent Hispanic and two percent multicultural. While our primary target population comprises young men and women ages five to twenty-four years old, our secondary target population is the participant's families, as no membership fee is required for YLA programs. Additionally, over sixty percent of YLA members live in households headed by a single female, and of the program participants, fifty-eight percent are female and forty-two percent are male. This diversity of membership in Youth Learning Academy programs affords significant opportunities to develop understanding, respect, and friendships among youth of varied cultural and economic backgrounds.

During the learning process, youth develop and strengthen valuable traits such as self-discipline, work ethic, and the ability to focus on an area of study. Further, their involvement helps to develop their leadership skilled and their shared responsibilities as members of a team. Research findings support the notion that youth who participate in hands-on activities and projects tent to excel in academics, comprehend math and science more easily, and develop overall higher levels of intelligence.

Mission

YLA's mission is to engage youth in project-base learning activities that will bolster their academic, career and life skills. For many of the students who do not excel in a traditional classroom setting, the YLA construction programs offer active opportunities to learn math and science concepts, connect to the community, explore careers in the building and design fields, and enhance academics, confidence and competence. YLA's programs are all based on a simple methodology that teaches its members how to improve in math and science, explore potential career opportunities in the industries of automotive technology, construction and motor sports and develop their abilities and talents; all with an emphasis to enhance their skills for postsecondary education and to become productive citizens.

A Model of Success

In its 5-years of existence, YLA has transformed from a single classroom program into a proven multi school, multi district environment for assisting "at-risk" youths. This work has been accomplished through the tireless efforts of its founding director, primarily working multiple jobs in order to keep her family and YLA sustained. In addition to her efforts, the director has developed partnerships with and support from industry leaders that provide the much needed funds and volunteer support, which has become the basis for the programs' success. USGBC is interested in making YLA programs national models for the construction as well as the motorsports industry, and is interested in "Racing2Succss" and Design and Challenge Construction Learning programs as true K-12 pipeline taking kids from kindergarten to postsecondary, Recently, the Design and Challenge program won an award from ASPCA for the students work in helping rescue animals and USGBC presented YLA's Design+Build+Live Green Program for their work in teaching at-risk youth about green. All of the programs has been evaluated and been tested in schools, group homes, youth organizations and detention centers. The programs have proven to be successful and its success can be attributed to the participation of the students and their families, community and agencies. Our programs each have an waiting list and we receive hundreds of emails from schools, youth agencies and other groups who are interested in replica the program.

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