YOUTH LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION INC
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Mission Statement
The Youth Leadership Foundation builds character among youth of your Nation's capital.
About This Cause
Our Values The life-changing work we do is possible because of staff and volunteers that are living out the values they impart to students: joy, excellence and a spirit of service. The Youth Leadership Foundations serves 350 students annually with its quality mentoring programs in seven school partners across the city. YLF serves third through twelfth grade students after school, on Saturday, in summer and now, through virtual mentorship. No matter the format, our programs feature one-on-one mentoring, formative talks about character, intentional engagement of parents and dedicated time for “community-making” (e.g., meal times, team-building & sports activity, etc.) Our mentors believe that a student grows as a person when (1) parents are supported to parent; (2) students experience true friendship and belonging in community; and (3) students learn to be generous according to their circumstances and give back to others. Nine-in-ten students describe our programs as life-changing. Our History In 1952, a blind mother with vision took her child to Arlington National Cemetery. The child fell in love with history and vowed to read a book a week for the rest of his life. In 1960, that child had kept his promise, graduating near the top of the first-ever desegregated class from Western High School. Lacking resources to attend college, a young Edward Smith began working in the mail room of the White House for President Johnson during the War on Poverty. His talent for writing became evident at this time and paved the way for his success as the first African-American tenured Professor of American University; the founder of that university’s Civil War Institute; a speech writer for President Carter; and a founder of The Heights School in Potomac, MD. In the 1970’s and 80’s, Professor Smith collaborated with Opus Dei, an institution of the Catholic Church to develop social outreach programs called the Program for Academic and Leadership Skills (PALS) and the Tenley Achievement Program (TAP). PALS and TAP gave promising youth in Washington an opportunity to have a relationship with positive adult role models. They provided tutoring and mentoring on Saturday mornings and summers throughout the city. After nearly three decades of success, so many inner-city families were entrusting their children to TAP and PALS that Professor Smith saw the need for an organization which could directly serve the these families and communities. Professor Smith co-founded YLF in 1997 to be able to better serve the community. Over the next two decades, 4,000 students attended YLF programs, and, more than 95% of their parents have a high satisfaction with their son or daughter’s involvement in PALS or TAP. The programs are rooted in Catholic moral and social teaching and embrace students regardless of their religious, racial, ethnic, or familial status. In 2009 and 2017, YLF was named one of D.C.’s Best Small Charities by the Catalogue for Philanthropy. In 2015, it was selected for the Fair Chance Partnership. YLF celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2017. Today, our program serves 350 students annually in seven school partners across the city.