Yerwood Center

I-XCEL Teens

The Yerwood Center has incorporated teen programming that will benefit teenagers  in their every day life. They are also involved in a career development program supports them in setting, pursuing, and realizing career goals. In addition to that, the teens are involved daily in the Extended Day Program by doing homework assistance, food service, and recreational activities.

Yerwood feels that addressing the need to close the achievement gap and work with participants on their overall human development will decrease the high rates of high school drop outs, unemployment, teenage pregnancy, juvenile delinquency.  Yerwood Teen population will have an opportunity to be more successful in articulating high school and the college process, everyday situations also, later in life may become more productive members of their community.

Yerwood Teen programming hours are Monday through Friday, from 3:00-6:00pm, providing a safe, supervised, educational, and alternative environment for all Teens ages 13-19.  In addition, to provide the following:

CAREER EXPLORATION

Career Exploration encourages members ages 13 to 19 to assess their skills and interests, explore careers, make sound educational decisions and prepare to join our nation’s work force.  Participants will undergo mentoring, job shadowing and training opportunities round out the program.

COMMUNITY SERVICE/LEARN AND SERVICE PROJECT

Each participant will participate in community service activities once a week.  Yerwood staff use all the areas and programs in the Center  to create opportunities for these high-yield learning activities, which include leisure reading, writing activities, discussions with knowledgeable adults, helping others, homework help assistance, tutoring and games (such as Scrabble), that develop young people’s cognitive skills. Community Service also emphasizes parent involvement and collaboration between center and school professionals as critical factors in creating the best after-school learning environment for center members ages 13 to 19.

LEARNING ABOUT MONEY

The program provides tips and activities to help teens learn to balance a checkbook, create a budget and save and invest for college and retirement. The Learning about Money session helps teens build their money management skills through interactive activities, games and tools such as a savings and financial aid calculator to help them plan for college.

COLLEGE BOUND/ HOMEWORK HELP

This program is designed to enhance each Yerwood ‘s member’s engagement with learning by providing consistent support from caring and trusted adults in developing the academic, emotional and social skills needed to achieve academic success. Program components include money management, resume writing, entrepreneurship, and goals for graduation. This program uses the early warning signals — attendance, behavior and course failure — to identify youth at risk of dropping out of school. 

GIRLS CIRCLE

The Girls Circle, Inc. is a structured support group for girls from 9-18 years, integrates relational theory, resiliency practices, and skills training in a specific format designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competence in girls. It aims to counteract social and interpersonal forces that impede girls’ growth and development by promoting an emotionally safe setting and structure within which girls can develop caring relationships and use authentic voices.

STAMFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALTA PROGRAM

The ALTA is a program that integrates academic instruction, cultural/recreational enrichment, college readiness, and family engagement.  It targets 9^th and 12^th grade Latino students who follow an intensive three-day-per-week schedule.  Students’ families also agree to attend bimonthly workshops on topics such as parent leadership, standardized testing, and college awareness. In collaboration with Stamford Public Schools, student participate in our teen programming activities each Saturday at the Yerwood Center from 9:00AM-1:00PM for the academic school year.   

OPEN BASKETBALL

Every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00PM-8:00PM, teens have the opportunity to use the gym for recreational  basketball fun.  Admission into the open basketball is $1.00.

To apply to take part in I-XCEL Teen Program, please view the IXCEL Teen Application Below:

I-XCEL High School Internship Application

IXCEL TEEN Stipend Eligibility

For additional information, please contact Debby Campbell at (203) 327-2790#27.