Personal Narrative: My Experience At The Youth Advancement Academy

The agency that provided me with my service learning opportunity was the Youth Advancement Academy. This program serves students in grades nine through twelve who have been expelled from public school or are assigned to the academy by court order. This educational service provides at-risk students with an alternate route to a high school diploma. The program focuses on preparing students for a smooth transition to a traditional high school, post-secondary institution, or workplace services.
Curriculum is computer based in a small classroom setting, led by an instructor for immediate and individual feedback. The schedule is based on a morning and afternoon session, allowing flexibility to the students who have family, work, or responsibilities within the criminal justice system. Since this is a more flexible alternate route to a diploma, this is something most students genuinely want and have an incentive to attend. By utilizing this individualized and technology based program, students have the opportunity to participate in an atmosphere where growth, learning, and success are encouraged.
The academy has recently had a new focus on acquiring more practical life skills that can be helpful with the transition after graduation. There has been a
This category is important because there were a few girls at the academy who were currently pregnant, and there were students who were already parents. For those who were not already parents, it was important to address options for birth control, legal age of consent, and the danger of alcohol and drug use while pregnant. The services provided through Planned Parenthood and WIC were the most important factors of this category. Other important factors discussed were vital signs for a child and when to seek medical attention based on symptoms, consequences of inappropriate activity with the child in the home, and appropriate developmental milestones for a