Throughout all components of the program, Step Up Advocates engage closely with parents to share student successes, strategize around challenges, and provide assistance in supporting their child’s success in school. Advocates have significant phone and e-mail contact with their students outside of the after-school sessions, to provide emotional support for challenges that interfere with school success.Advocates lead youth in developing leadership and student success skills through group activities and individual counseling which focus on personal responsibility, conflict resolution, healthy relationships, organization, and study skills.Classroom teachers and Step Up Advocates become close allies in supporting student success.A carefully designed system of information sharing and accountability enables Advocates to track student assignments and course performance. Daily individualized tutoring and homework assistance forms the core of after-school activities.

Step Up Advocates partner with the school to offer after-school tutoring, continued leadership development, and close social/emotional support in small “Advocate groups” of 10-15 Step Up youth. By the end of camp, students and their Advocates have formed close relationships based on mutual commitment to success in high school. These self-defined goals form the basis for their participation in Step Up throughout the following year. Leadership and team-building activities reinforce students’ understanding of their capacity to achieve their dreams through education and hard work, all with the support of an Advocate. In a one-week summer leadership academy, Step Up Advocates challenge youth to identify their aspirations and commit to working together towards those goals.

Program Components Pre-Freshman year leadership camp Our students are personally supported by a Step Up Advocate all year through comprehensive tutoring, strength-based advocacy, emotional support, character building workshops, and family engagement activities.

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