AALEAD DC: 3 Ways our Youth Reach for Success!

By Charles Kuo, DC Elementary School Coordinator
Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff

This year AALEAD’S DC Elementary school program will highlight the importance of Discovery! The theme of “Discovery” promotes learning and growth. Our hope this year is to empower our youth to discover the world around them and approach learning in a fun and exciting way. Many of our youth will embark on their very own “Discovery Map”, where they will learn through seven thematic units focused on a variety of topics connected to AALEAD’s outcome areas and goals. Our first unit is “Reaching for Success!” This unit incorporates a focus on career exploration, leadership, and one of our newest goals: study and life skills.

Here are three ways our youth will reach for success!

1. Attend a study and life skills workshop  This year one of our newest outcome goals is: EVERY YOUTH will participate in at least two study and life skills workshops. For youth in grades 2-5, these workshops incorporate lessons on skills such as time management, organization, prioritizing, that will further support the youth in their education. For youth in grades PK3-1, we will focus on life skills. Life skills include skills such as washing your hands, tying your shoes, manners, that are instrumental in the everyday life of young people
aged 3-5.
2. Attend/facilitate an activity based on Careers!
To celebrate the end of this
unit, youth will participate/host  an event that will encompass what they have learned. At Bancroft Elementary School, youth plan to host a career fair, which will feature and exhibit unique careers and their required skills. (i.e.  youth will exhibit the skills of a chef by providing a cooking demonstration for tamales). Both sites will also participate in a program-wide field trip to the National Aquarium on October 9th in Baltimore, MD where they will learn about different careers in marine biology.

3. Participate in a leadership opportunity  This year, youth will have more opportunities to lead. We are continuing our reading buddies program from our Summer Ohana program. Youth in grades 2-5 mentor and read with youth in grades PK-1. Youth practice reading aloud, reading comprehension, and listening. Another opportunity that we are continuing is our Youth Council. Youth from select grades will apply and interview be a part of the Youth Council. The Youth Council serves as a board of youth who make decisions on upcoming events and curriculum in our program.

Asian American LEAD is a community of opportunity. We support and empower our youth in many ways. During this next month, our youth will develop their leadership skills and embark on new experiences. Stay tuned and continue to follow our youth on their Discovery journey!