Program areas at Asian American LEAD
After School Program: The AALEAD After School Program provides academic support and resources including support in the process of selecting a middle/high school as well as the college process. Programs create a safe and supportive space to develop identity, and opportunities for leadership and civic engagement. AALEAD serves youth after school through the following programs: DC Middle School, DC High School, MD Middle School, MD High School, VA Middle School, and VA High School Programs. In FY23, AALEAD supported 420 youth attending 19 public and charter schools with after-school programs across the DC, MD, and VA regions. See Schedule O for continuationOf the youth surveyed, 99% indicated overall satisfaction with AALEAD afterschool programs, 96% reported feeling more connected to a network of supportive peers, adults, and teachers; and 96% reported feeling more comfortable sharing and celebrating their culture because of participating in AALEAD.
Mentoring Program: The AALEAD Mentoring Program connects youth with adults to form relationships that provide youth with a safe avenue to express their feelings and frustrations, improve their self-esteem, foster positive self-identity, give youth opportunities to explore new interests and develop hobbies, and motivate them to pursue higher education and prepare them for careers. In FY23, the Mentoring Program had a total of 329 mentoring hours and 28 matches of mentors and mentees.
Summer Program: The AALEAD summer program provides youth opportunities for activities, events, community engagement, and leadership development. The summer leverages a youth-to-youth mentoring model where youth take ownership of their AALEAD Summer Program by being a part of the planning and facilitating process. In FY23, 72 youths were supported across the DC, MD, and VA regions with summer programming. Youth participated in summer programs exploring topics of identity, leadership, and community. Youth participated in a storytelling cohort with Shout Mouse Press and co-created a graphic novel on the experiences of AAPI youth, as well as attended local field trips and community bonding events.