Compass Youth Center

Our Story

With each passing day, educational resources and funding for our youth is being greatly reduced and in some cases—totally eliminated within our public school systems. Much needed after school tutorials and other extracurricular/academic initiatives are being threatened as a result of federal, state and local budget constraints. For our impoverished, low performing and underprivileged youth, this presents an overwhelming challenge. Compass provides educational opportunities and services designed to empower and engage our youth. Our central focus hinges upon the creation and successful delivery of quality socioeconomic and community-based programs. With the goal of assisting our at-risk population, we also aim to combat the school-to-prison pipeline and promote personal/professional development for all.
During the spring of 2014, Compass Youth Center, a registered 501c (3) founded in 2009, was able to build successful relationships within rural Warren County, N.C. In an effort to enhance and supplement the educational programs offered in the local school system, a pilot program designed to provide additional training opportunities consistent with the End of Grade Testing (EOG/EOC); was conducted at multiple local schools. This after school project was a collaboration of over 30 volunteers, and the model of the curriculum targeted those students with borderline and below average performance scores in the previous or current school’s calendar year. As such, Compass reached out to community leaders, school officials, volunteers and local high-performing academic scholars to execute our vision.
As Compass continues to drive its strategic goals towards expanding its services to more area schools and counties within rural North Carolina and beyond, our current/future activities include building a STEM collaborative statewide and regionally. In fact, Compass was the key sponsor in a successful STEM Symposium held at Flat Rock Middle in Tyrone, Ga. This event which was led by Compass’ Education and Curriculum Advisor, Monica Reckley, Ph.D. For Compass, the main goals and objectives over FY 16 include, but are not limited to the following:

Enhanced After School Tutorials – Traditional/Year Round
Heightened awareness to STEM – Traditional/Year Round
Summer ADDventures – Summer enrichment
Healthy Living Initiative – Quarterly
Financial Literacy – Year Round
Workforce/Economic Development – Year Round

In closing, education, community enrichment and workforce development all lend to a better neighborhood. Our recent partnership with the Warren County Department of Social Services provides an excellent example of assisting Work First candidates with sharpening their personal and professional skill sets and become more marketable employees. Combining youth advocacy, a more robust sense of neighborhood engagement and inclusion with the engine of STEM will not only help to drive economic development, but more importantly, it prepares today’s youth for the challenges of tomorrow. We hope you will join us in making a difference.

Sincerely,


Compass Youth