SAN ANTONIO – December 13, 2011 – SA Youth has received a $25,000 grant from Chase to help young adults who have quit school get a second chance at success through high school credit recovery and workforce training.

The grant will help fund YouthBuild, a program that gives high-school dropouts, ages 16 to 24, the opportunity to attain a high school diploma or GED while receiving workforce certification in construction, computer technology and emerging green jobs.

“Because of San Antonio’s high dropout rate, it is essential for SA Youth to provide services to this population. But because of the current economic environment, our organization is faced with the challenges of raising funds for our programs,” said Cynthia Le Monds, SA Youth chief executive officer. “Recovery efforts through our YouthBuild program are vital. Our program and services would not be possible without such generous partners as the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. We are grateful for their support.”

Funding from Chase will support YouthBuild, which works with young adults, such as recent program graduate Nina Garcia, 24, who is now enrolled at Northwest Vista College as a psychology major. She plans to become a licensed chemical dependency counselor.

“I knew it would be good for me to not just get my diploma but focus on learning about computers,” said Garcia, who earned her high school diploma while enrolled in the Technology Pathway. “I took it seriously because they teach you everything about computers that other people are paying to learn.”

“YouthBuild helps teens who’ve experienced homelessness, hunger and all sorts of hard knocks — but who refuse to give in to hopelessness,” said Jay Clingman, Chairman of Chase in San Antonio. “This program gives these students real-world training and credentials. Best of all, YouthBuild has a terrific track record of success. Chase is very proud to be a partner in this great program.”

Le Monds added that Chase has been a significant partner of SA Youth for the past few years. “With their support, we are able to serve some of the most at-risk youth in San Antonio,”  she said.  “Chase’s focus on community development and education is especially important during these trying economic times.”

About SA Youth

SA Youth is a 27-year old community organization that keeps at-risk children and youth off the streets and in school, and offers young adults a second chance in life by providing them with an opportunity to earn a high school diploma or GED while receiving workforce training in construction, technology or the green jobs sector. For more information, visit www.sanantonioyouth.org.

About Chase

Chase has 4,400 employees and 50 branches in San Antonio. The bank committed or helped raise $8.7 billion for Texas governments and nonprofits in 2010. Chase is the largest SBA lender in San Antonio and in Texas. There are seven Chase Homeownership Centers in Texas, including a location at 1020 North East Loop 410, providing one-on-one help for families struggling with their mortgage payments.

WHEN:                10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19

WHERE:             Mission Verde Center at Cooper, 700 Tampico, 78207

 Activities included:

• planting in the community garden
• maintenance and harvesting of vegetables

SA Youth was awarded a $500 Youth Grant from YSA (Youth Service America) and the Sodexo Foundation, which supports youth-led service initiatives addressing childhood hunger. It is one of 25 grants awarded nationwide.

Take a look at SA Youth’s video.

Eleven-year-old June is fond of her language arts class at school because she gets to write. She has discovered that writing is a wonderful solution to deal with the problems and burdens that can occur in life. When she writes a story, a poem or in her journal, she releases the stressful emotions that she sometimes holds inside. Writing allows her to express her feelings.

She is an adolescent with a great attitude towards her studies, and she appreciates the relaxed learning environment at SA Youth, which she finds to be a necessity at times to help her learn. June believes that the encouragement she receives at SA Youth and its focus on individualism allows her to be herself.

When she gets older, June hopes to join the Navy as a cousin of hers has done. She also wants to travel to Egypt to see the pyramids and take a ride on a camel. For now, she looks forward to her mentoring at SA Youth, and learning in a place where she feels most confident.

Young Alfred is a brave-hearted little boy. He wants to go to college and then join the San Antonio Police Department

to put all the bad guys away for good.

The sparkle and vitality in his eyes is immeasurable, when he talks about playing football or soccer with his friends at SA Youth.

However, even at such a young age, 9-year-old Alfred understands the stressful economic situations at home sometimes. He talks so openly about his worries for his mother in finding a new job; he is determined to help her when he is old enough to work to help out with family finances.

Growing up in a demographic that has a dismal high school drop out rate is a sad reality for Alfred, so it is vital that he receives the support and guidance to prevent him from slipping through the cracks. He says SA Youth is a place where he likes to learn and play. So what exactly is his favorite thing about SA Youth? The staff, he says with a big smile.

High school sometimes can be the most difficult, yet influential years in a young woman’s life. It is a preparation for what is to come for college and beyond. The creative program at SA Youth provides an original and productive way for 16-year-old sophomore Brianna to explore some positive interests.

In the three months that she has been here, Brianna has learned to create music beats through the IMPACT program, which allows students to engage their musical talents through computer manipulation of audio files. The students at SA Youth who are part of IMPACT are currently working on creating their own CD of original music.

Brianna acknowledges SA Youth as a facility to keep young, impressionable students off the streets and focused on their education. She loves to dance to hip-hop and Spanish cumbia music, and was excited when the center brought in a professional dancer to teach students some dance routines. Because she has developed better dance techniques, Brianna plans to try out for the Lassos dance team at her school.

Joe’s favorite part of the day is coming to spend time at SA Youth after the school bell rings at SA Youth. The 6 year old says he enjoys helping his mom and sisters make cookies and bake cakes at home, but when he attends SA Youth he likes playing football and basketball with the other boys. Joe says he gets better and better each time he plays. He even hopes to become a professional basketball player some day.

At SA Youth, Joe is also learning to use a computer, which he has not been able to do at school or at home. His favorite game is Transformers in which he gets to defeat the bad guys, while at the same time learning to concentrate and maneuver through a PC. These incentives for finishing homework are also learning tools that can help a child stay focused because at such a young age it’s easy to become distracted.

Adhering to schedules and obeying rules are additional ways to help strengthen a solid and positive upbringing for children like Joe.

When the church bell rings to signal the end of the school day, 7-year-old Gabby walks over to SA Youth located on her Catholic school’s campus. This giddy second grader talks excitedly about growing up and becoming a doctor because she likes to help people. The best Christmas gift she was given from her parents was a doctor’s play kit. With it, Gabby learned how to apply a Band-Aid, so now all her playground comrades know they can come to her whenever they get a scrape.

At home Gabby has fun with her X-BOX 360 or plays with her pet rabbit Cutie. She has four brothers whom she looks up to, and who encourage her with her studies by helping her with homework. They also take her to watch plays at the theatre, which Gabby enjoys.

Having familial support will help Gabby develop the courage and perseverance to pursue her goals, just as it will to be surrounded by a nurturing team of role models, such as teachers. Although Gabby says she enjoys all of her classes at school, she sometimes get stuck on certain math problems, and when her family is away she can count on tutoring from qualified instructors at SA Youth. Setting a strong foundation and remaining an A and B student will keep her on the right track all the way to medical school.

Sometimes life changes involve some of the most pivotal decisions a young man will face. For Merrick, those decisions have been based solely on the support he receives at SA Youth.

Not only has Merrick noticed a huge difference in what he chooses to do constructively in the evening hours, but his friends have also witnessed a vast improvement in his classroom attitude. The vivacious young man has a passion for the arts and has been able to receive structural training in the things he enjoys most: music, photography, dance and theatre.

Prior to attending SA Youth, Merrick had difficulty focusing in class. Sometimes he didn’t attend classes at all. It has been a great joy for his family to see Merrick involved in subjects that interest him so much. Now, when he is in class, he absorbs as much as he can, and practices self-control instead of being the hyperactive kid in class. Merrick says he has learned that an education can further his quest for knowledge and more training in the arts. He has gone from making Fs on his report card to scoring As, Bs and Cs.

Merrick attributes this complete turnaround in his character at school to time spent at SA Youth. He even recommends the program to all of his friends.