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Providing Authentic Education |
YouthBuild Charter School of California is a unique charter school model that provides young adults at YouthBuild programs with an
authentic alternative to traditional school environments. Launched with support from YouthBuild USA in 2008, YCSC provides a
project-based high school curriculum that relies on authentic assessment to fulfill credits toward a high school diploma. Young people
between the ages of 16-24 enroll at YCSC after having dropped out, aged out, or been otherwise failed by the traditional school system.
Here they find an education that is more relevant to their goals, talents, and daily lives.
Unlike traditional schools that employ standardized curriculum and classroom practices which can often disempower and alienate
marginalized students, YCSC’s project-based approach, modeled on the Diploma Plus system, allows young adults to take ownership of their
education. It offers them the means to pursue meaningful academic and professional success and gain the skills necessary to realize their
personal dreams and goals. In order to reach our goals for effective, relevant education, we hire only highly-qualified teachers who come
from some of the country’s most progressive educational colleges and universities. |
MENTORS WANTED
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| Mission
The mission of the YouthBuild Charter School of California is
to cultivate collaborative learning communities in which every
student has the right to an authentic education, plays a
meaningful role in creating positive social change, and
becomes an active participant in working towards just
conditions for all. |
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Message From the Founder |
The year 2011 begins with a renewed hope for the youth that we are proud to call our students at YCSC. We are now halfway through our third year at YCSC, feeling good about what our students are accomplishing and with the effectiveness of the strategies that we employ to re-engage youth in an authentic educational experience. This year we have added five new sites to our family, bringing us to a total of 11 sites and more than 1300 students in our school. All our sites are in neighborhoods where we are seeing high numbers of dropouts, high unemployment and poverty rates and a staggering number of youth who need a viable way back into a pathway leading to a successful adulthood.
Though we are encouraged by the recovery that is occurring among our student body, we are ever mindful of the violence and tragedy that our students face on the streets and in their neighborhoods. Since the beginning of this school year, four of our students have lost their lives, cut down violently as they were trying desperately to escape a past that wouldn’t let them go. The heartbreak we experience in these times is only partially mitigated by the successes of the 1300 students who are finding success at our school. But we hang on to the hope, promise and determination that we see in our students. The average student at YCSC is earning 67.5 credits in a school year, compared to less than 30 credits per year that they earned on average at previous schools. We also anticipate a great number of graduates this year to add to the more than 400 students who have graduated in our first two years. We have good reason to be optimistic about the future.
We continue to enjoy a tremendous partnership with all of our local YouthBuild programs, YouthBuild USA, and our charter sponsor, the Inyo County Superintendent of Schools. Without our partners, none of this would be possible. Please let me know if you would be interested in supporting our work in some way. We have opportunities for mentors at many of our sites, and we are holding our golf tournament this year on April 29th to raise money for our students who cannot afford lunch. Of course, any financial assistance is greatly appreciated and all donations are tax deductable, as we are recognized by the IRS as a public charity. Let me know if you are interested in learning more about what we do at YCSC.
Phil |
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Vision
Our vision is that all young people, regardless of their
circumstances, have access to an education that will prepare
them to counter social inequities and realize their full potential.
Our school empowers young people to transform themselves
and become leaders in their communities. Our school is a haven
of trust and respect, where students can prepare for success in
careers, post-secondary education, and life. |
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