The YA! April Institute was a success! Erika Hernandez, the Latinx Student Services Program Manager, led a workshop on identity, culture, and resistance to help students explore and understand how their identity plays a role in their personal, educational, and professional life! They made I Am Poems and Identity Collages to reminisce on their upbringings as well as find ways that their inner child can be incorporated into who they would like to be in the future. Both mentors and students participated, and some shared them I Am Poems with the cohort! Thank you to Erika who created such a wonderful and memorable workshop!

Would you like to be part of the next YA! program? Applications are now open for the 2023-2024 year!

The YA! program is a college access and mentorship program for Latinx high school students; outgoing 8^th graders and 9^th-11^th graders are eligible to apply. The YA! program strives to empower Latinx youth to become future leaders in their communities by equipping them with a network of peers, mentors, and parents to support and guide their achievement of academic goals, educational aspirations, and professional potential. Our program follows the academic year and runs September-June. All new students are matched with a volunteer mentor through a matching process we have in place (“speed-matching”).

Activities include: 

• Monthly Leadership Institutes
• Individual mentoring from professionals
• Check-ins throughout the month
• Service projects
• Networking opportunities

Participation is free and transportation is provided around St. Paul & Minneapolis! 

Contact yaprogram@clues.org or 612- 403-7691 with questions.