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Our Current Initiative: 
The YEF Program

Overview

Youth Experience Fund rewards students in Rockingham County for success in the classroom.​Our goal is to shift the trajectories of hundreds of students in Rockingham County by incentivizing positive outcomes with passion-oriented experiences.

How We Do It

YEF receives referral nominations from community leaders across Rockingham County that have identified a rising 10th-12th grade student who has very strong interests but does not have the financial means to access their passions. Following selection of the student, YEF sets target grade metrics directly based on the student's academic goals (ex. Metrics for students targeting Ivy League institutions will be higher than those targeting trade schools). Following the semester, if the student achieves the proposed grade metrics, the student will be rewarded with a tailored enrichment experience in their area of interest (ex. If the student is passionate about music, they will receive a recording studio session where they can make their own album). Students that achieve their academic metrics each semester will be provided an experience for the remainder of their high school careers. As the student views this as simply “earning their next experience,” they are truly preparing themselves for the next stage of their lives.

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YEF Program Application

Nominate a Student

Do you know of a rising 10-12th grader that has a strong interest/passion but lacks access to opportunities to pursue it? Use the form below to nominate a student.

The Process

Graduation Ceremony

1

Student Nomination

Community leaders (teachers, coaches, parents) nominate a student with strong passions and financial limitations

2

Setting Goals

Upon selection, YEF and the student set target grade metrics for the following semester

3

Earning Experience

If semesterly metrics are met, the student is rewarded with a tailored enrichment experience in their area of interest

In-Depth Process Explanation

  1. Community leader/coach/teacher/parent nominates a rising 10th-12th grade student

  2. YEF reviews the application to ensure that a passion is clearly expressed

  3. YEF contacts the parent to schedule a screening call

  4. YEF determines if criteria is met (cooperative parent, financial need, passion stated)

  5. YEF selects the student and provides consent forms to the parent

  6. Upon signing, YEF provides the student with a computer that the student can keep upon graduation

  7. YEF requests transcripts from the school and begins setting metrics based on prior grades and the student’s goals

  8. YEF receives student’s class schedule from the school

  9. YEF provides target metrics and enrichment experience opportunity to the student, parent, and nominator by the second week of the semester

  10. Upon completion of the semester, YEF will request the student’s report card from the school

  11. If metrics are achieved, the student’s enrichment experience will be planned by week 4 of the following semester

Young Painter

Our Prior Intitative

Our first initiative was a "Make-a-Wish" model for underprivileged and underserved students in Rockingham County. We provided 17 students with enrichment experiences that enabled them to live out their passions.

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