Youth Empowerment for Success (YES!) Sí Se Puede Project: Promoting Health and Leadership among Latino Youth

Latinos are America's largest ethnic minority and the fastest-growing demographic of our nation, however they are at high risk for poor academic and health outcomes. According to the US Bureau of the Census only 9.8% of foreign born and 13.5% of US born Latinos earn a bachelors degree, representing the lowest high school and college completion rates of any racial or ethnic group. The Youth Empowerment for Success (YES!) Sí Se Puede project aims to reduce academic and health disparities among this group. At-risk Latino students from Hamilton Middle School in North Long Beach, California applied and were selected to participate in the YES! Si Se Puede Project. Through a university-middle school-local YMCA alliance, we have formed a Youth Center to engage participants and their families in bi-weekly tutoring, physical activity and health classes, in addition to convening monthly university visits, and enrolling students in academic and sports summer camps. The program focuses on self-esteem, mental health, physical activity and nutrition beliefs and behaviors, violence prevention, academic reinforcement, mentorship, computer and technology use, cultural enrichment, and career development. Mentoring is provided by volunteer Latino first generation-educated students at California State University Long Beach. Pre-intervention, post-intervention and 6-month follow-up surveys will be used to evaluate project effectiveness and potential replication. The YES! mission, goals and core components will be presented in addition to participant demographic characteristics and preliminary findings regarding academic progress, physical health, self esteem, mental health, and project effectiveness.