Success stories

Drugs, despair and death were a part of Kelvin N.'s life almost for as long as he could remember.

When he was just 11 years old, his mother passed away. His father and older brother wound up in jail for dealing drugs. Five of his friends died in a period of just a few months, all the result of suicide or criminal activity. For awhile, Kelvin used and sold drugs himself... and even carried a gun.

There were times, the soft-spoken teen says, he thought he might never see his 18th birthday. Graduating from high school seemed like a distant and unattainable dream.

Nevertheless, when he joined Community for Youth his freshman year, he set a goal of earning his high school diploma. In 2004, he did just that.

"It feels good. It definitely feels good," the young man says with an infectious smile. "If the people at CfY weren't there for me, I don't think I would be here right now."

Admitting to and taking responsibility for his mistakes were things he learned to do through Community for Youth. Now, he's able to ask people, "Don't judge me because of what the past has done to me and what I've done in the past, but for what the future holds for me."

Thanks to his experience in Community for Youth, "the doors of opportunity are open everywhere," Kelvin says. "For those of you who have children and nieces and nephews, tell them to be inspired not by what the world brings, but by what the world has to offer you."

What makes Community for Youth unique:

• We build a community of support for students and mentors
• We teach and instill core concepts focused on personal growth and accountability
• Students and mentors are involved in the selection of their match
• We place a strong emphasis on mentor training and support
• We place a staff member in each of our schools during the school day.

• 90 - 100% of students in our programs stay in school (compared to 78% of Seattle Public High School students)
  
  
• 90%+ of those students who stay in our programs graduate from high school (compared to 58.9% of Seattle Public High School students)
  
  
• 83% of our students positively changed their behavior and/or achieved their goal
  
  
• 93% of our students reported that they benefited from our program
  
  
• 86% believe they gained a sense of personal accountability
  
  
• 97% feel connected to the community