Program areas at SAYA
Saya remains steadfast in supporting low-income immigrant Youth across all program sites. Through culturally-affirming resources, mentorship, and academic support, we foster resilience, enhance access to opportunities, and prioritize nurturing a sense of belonging. The success of this year underscores the profound impact of Saya's multifaceted programs, reinforcing our commitment to empower and inspire young people to reach their full potential. Between july 2023 and june 2024, more than 4,200 Youth in elementary, middle, high school, and college participated in Saya programming across 11 sites. (continuted on schedule o)elementary and middle school programming:this year, our elementary and middle school programs provided a rich blend of activities that fostered creativity, teamwork, and learning. At the end of spring 2024, focus groups at all elementary and middle school Saya sites revealed that most participants were satisfied with the afterschool programming. Students appreciated the opportunity to try new activities, learn new skills, and play games they usually did not have access to. They felt safe and comfortable with their facilitators, which boosted their confidence and encouraged participation. The program also helped students build new friendships and strengthen existing ones through team-building and collaborative activities.high school programming:saya deepened our presence across all high school sites, strengthening our connections with students and the school communities - providing tailored support to meet their evolving needs.at our community center, we saw retention rates of 67% students for high school from fall 2023 to spring 2024 and 70% for college students. High school student surveys indicated substantial impact, with 92% of students reporting a strong or very strong sense of social awareness. This includes the ability to work well with others, and the ability to appreciate differing opinions and feelings of others. 92% felt a strong or very strong sense of belonging, and 84% of students reported strong or very strong self-management skills, which include their ability to manage their time and work independently.college success and career readiness programming:our impact on college readiness was significant, with 97% of college students enrolling in their second year of higher education and 93% on track to graduate within five years, and 100% of high school seniors accepted into college or vocational school.