Our new YAN Spotlight series is an extension of our “Meet the Staff” series of posts where we follow up with our Youth Academic Navigators since the last time they were featured on the blog.
Our new YAN Spotlight series is an extension of our “Meet the Staff” series of posts where we follow up with our Youth Academic Navigators since the last time they were featured on the blog.
Every D2 Center student is different, but one common thread we see is their need for individualized help navigating barriers blocking their engagement in school. Sometimes, these barriers seem to multiply as time goes on. Here on the blog, we’ll be sharing student stories to give our readers an idea of how these factors can complicate students’ efforts to reengage in school and earn their high school diploma. This is Shayla’s story, which illustrates the at-times endless challenges as well as the help a D2 Center YAN can provide.
Thanks to the United Way of the Midlands, a new Sponsored Feature in the Omaha World-Herald shines a spotlight on the Opportunity Youth Alliance, a group of more than 5o local nonprofits working with youth ages 16-24. The D2 Center has been active with the OYA since its inception, and the World-Herald feature includes an interview with the D2 Center’s own Greg Emmel, along with Ronda Newman from Project Everlast Omaha and Chad Mares from Greater Omaha WorkLab.
Each D2 Center student brings a unique set of circumstances that have led to their disengagement from school. There are some commonalities across their situations, but on a one-on-one basis, it’s the D2 Center Youth Academic Navigator (YAN’s) job to help the student sort out their own individual barriers and assist with strategies to overcome those barriers. Who are our students and what obstacles have they overcome to succeed? Over the next few months on the blog, we’ll be sharing student stories; here is Juan’s story.
Every day at the D2 Center, we assist students who are working hard to re-engage in school and get back on track toward graduation and a positive future. Who are these students? What barriers are they facing, and overcoming? Over the next few months on the blog, we’ll be sharing student stories so our readers can get to know our students as we do: as unique young individuals prevailing over obstacles to pursue their high school diplomas — and beyond. Here is Samantha’s story.
The D2 Center Annual Report (PDF) for the 2018-2019 fiscal year is now available. Our Annual Report offers information about the students we serve, program outcomes, and our organization overall. High-level results for the year include:
— 368 total students served in the Youth Academic Navigator (YAN) program — an all-time high;
— 65 additional students served in OPS Multiple Pathways programs by D2 Center Career Navigators;
— 79 students graduated from high school — also an all-time high; and
— 250 outreach attempts to withdrawn students through our re-engagement partnership with Omaha Public Schools (OPS).