Mission
To give young people the tools they need to transform their lives and communities through education, skill-building, and service.
The YouthBuild Public Charter School serves young people ages 16-24 who have dropped out of traditional high schools. At YouthBuild, students transform their communities by building housing for homeless or low-income families as they learn the construction trade, and they transform themselves as they prepare to earn their high school diploma or GED. The YouthBuild Public Charter School opened in 2005 as an outgrowth of an effective program begun in 1995 by the Latin American Youth Center in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.
At YouthBuild, students
- Complete their high school education by attaining a diploma or GED;
- Develop marketable skills in construction;
- Learn critical life skills, leadership development, and job readiness;
- Benefit from personalized support – mentoring, counseling, child care and housing assistance, and other services as needed;
- Serve the community by building or renovating housing for low-income residents;
- Earn a stipend to help meet family commitments and defray transportation costs; and,
- Secure employment or pursue a college degree (with scholarship support) upon completion.
Youth come to YouthBuild knowing challenges:
- 75% are high school dropouts
- 55% enter at or below a sixth grade reading level
- 30% are parents
- 31% speak limited or no English
and leave YouthBuild knowing success. On average,
- Two out of three graduates increase their reading proficiency two or more grade levels;
- Four out of five graduates secure jobs, apprenticeships, or pursue higher education within 3 months of graduation; and
- in just one year, students learn construction skills and rehabilitate an average of ten units of affordable housing in the District of Columbia. In school year 2005-2006, YouthBuild students rebuilt 12 homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi.
A Locally Grounded Part of a Nation-Wide Movement
YouthBuild PCS is part of a 200-member national network using a model developed in Harlem in 1978. Through YouthBuild, more than 25,000 youth nationwide have transformed their lives through education, rebuilt their communities, and created more than 10,000 units of affordable housing.
YouthBuild PCS has received a 3-year $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the Gates Alternative High School Initiative.
YouthBuild PCS is an independent, private 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization overseen by a Board of Trustees that includes educators, financial experts, business owners, union leaders, construction specialists, community partners, fundraising professionals, alumni, and parents.
The school’s parent organization, the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), is a firmly grounded local nonprofit organization with experience in forming and sustaining charter schools. These include the Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS and Next Step PCS. Since its founding in 1974, LAYC has conducted education, counseling, housing, college preparation, recreation and job placement programs for more than 4,000 youth and families per year.
Demographics
2008-09 Student Demographics
86 Students enrolled
Gender: Male 36 (42%) Female 50 (58%)
Ethnicity: Black 41 (48%) Latino 42 (49%) African 3 (3%)
Reading Grade Level:
1-3 - 14 (16%)
4-6 - 43 (50%)
7-8 - 7 (8%)
9-12 - 22 (26%)
Age:
16 - 7 (8%)
17 - 13 (15%)
18 - 11 (13%)
19 - 10 (12%)
20 - 7 (8%)
21 - 12 (14%)
22 - 8 (10%)
23 - 10 (12%)
24 - 4 (5%)
Parents: 31 (36%)
Court Involved: 23 (36%)
Limited or No English: 33 (38%)
Special Ed: 7 (11%)
Staff
Leadership
Arthur Dade, Executive Director. 202-319-0141. arthur@layc-dc.org
Bio coming soon.
Andrea Hinson, Principal. 202-319-0141. andrea@layc-dc.org
Andrea is the Principal and one of the founders of the YouthBuild Public Charter School. Previously, she was the Program Director and Job Developer for the YouthBuild Program at the Latin American Youth Center. She is a graduate of the highly competitive and rigorous New Leaders for New Schools Program. She is certified as an administrator of secondary schools.
Prior to her work at YouthBuild, she managed several large youth programs and led training and educational programs for a variety of institutions and organizations including Wellesley College, Prince George’s County Public Schools, and Hope, Inc. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Master’s degree in Education Administration from Trinity University through New Leaders for New Schools.
Rebecca Paavola. Assistant Principal and Special Education Coordinator,
202-319-8648,
rebecca@layc-dc.org
Bio coming soon.
Instructional Staff
Ligia Arreaga, Education Team Coordinator and Spanish GED Instructor. 202-319-2291. larreaga@layc-dc.org
Ligia Arreaga teaches all GED subjects in Spanish to our Spanish-language students. Ligia has taught at YouthBuild for 7 years. She has over eleven years of teaching experience from kindergarten through high school in both Guatemala and the United States. She holds a B.A. in Education and a law degree in Education from the University of San Carlos, Guatemala.
Volita Russell, Math and Science GED Instructor,
202-319-2290,
volita@layc-dc.org
Volita teaches math and science classes at YouthBuild. She previously worked at the Maya Angelou Public Charter School before joining the YouthBuild team.
Phyllis Henderson, English and Language Arts GED Instructor,
202-518-0602,
phyllis@layc-dc.org
Phyllis teaches GED classes as well as English for Speakers
of Other Languages (ESOL). She has also taught at Prince
George's Community College. She holds a Bachelor's degree
from Virginia Union University.
Bio coming soon.
Construction Training Staff
John Collier, Construction Manager. 202-319-0140. john@layc-dc.org
As the Construction Manager, John Collier is responsible for the construction component of YouthBuild. He oversees all on-the-job construction training. John has over 17 years experience in all phases of home building and renovating. He has served as foreman for construction crews, taught general construction to newly hired personnel, and taught construction at LAYC for 5 years. He is certified in OSHA 30, First Aid and CPR, and has received certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) to serve as a Core Curricula and Carpentry Instructor in the NCCER’s standardized training curriculum.
Jose Mejia, Construction Trainer. 202-319-0140. mejia@layc-dc.org
Jose Mejia is a YouthBuild alumni who has worked as a construction trainer at YouthBuild for 3 years. He is certified in OSHA 30, First Aid and CPR, and has received certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) to serve as a Core Curricula and Carpentry Instructor in the NCCER’s standardized training curriculum. Jose is bilingual.
Carlos Lemos, Construction Trainer, 202-319-0140, lemos@layc-dc.org
Bio coming soon.
Sharneise Turpin, Construction Trainer, 202-319-0140, sharneise@layc-dc.org
Bio coming soon.
Student Support Staff
Eva Camacho, Case Manager. 202-319-2297. eva@layc-dc.org
Eva Camacho has been a Case Manager first at the Latin American Youth Center, then at YouthBuild for 5 years. She also serves as Adjunct Faculty in the Psychology Department at Prince George’s Community College. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University and an M.A. in Professional Counseling from Argosy University in Washington, D.C. Eva is bilingual.
Gina Fognani, Case Manager. 202-319-8649. gina@layc-dc.org
Gina Fognani has been a Case Manager first at the Latin American Youth Center, then at YouthBuild for several years. She brings extensive case management experience to YouthBuild and is a graduate of Howard University. Gina is bilingual.
Alison Lee, Placement Specialist. 202-319-2230. alison@layc-dc.org
As placement specialist for YouthBuild, Alison provides job placement assistance, job readiness training, and college and career counseling for students and alumni. She has a B.A. in psychology and Spanish from Tufts University. Alison is bilingual.
Administrative Staff
Iris Mata, Office Manager/Registrar. 202-319-2236. iris@layc-dc.org
Iris Mata has served at YouthBuild for over 6 years, in the positions of Receptionist, Office Manager and now the Registrar. She is a graduate of the Latin American Youth Center’s Next Step Public Charter School. Iris is bilingual.
Gina Kelley, Business and Compliance Specialist, 202-319-2287.
ginak@layc-dc.org
Gina manages finance matters, grant implementation,
compliance, and data management/outcomes measurement at
YBPCS. She previously worked at Latin American Youth Center
as Program Director of the Department of Labor-funded Youth
Opportunities Program. She holds a Master's degree in Public
Policy and Social Philosophy, and has worked in the
non-profit community for over 10 years in asset building,
community development, and youth development.
Maria Sanchez, Attendance
Specialist/Receptionist. 202-319-0141. miriam@layc-dc.org
Maria Sanchez is a YouthBuild graduate who also served on the LAYC Americorps team at the Latin American Youth Center. Maria is bilingual.
Board of Trustees
Kristi Cunningham, Chair
President & COO, Velocity Global Logistics
Mark Jordan, Treasurer
Consultant for the Special Arbiter of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Nolan Smith, Secretary
Construction Manager, MANNA Inc.
Pablo Benavente, Member
Design Specialist, MANNA Inc.
Jerry Kountz, Member
Director of Leadership Training, The SEED School
Steve Lanning, Member
Director, Laborer's Mid-Atlantic Regional Organizing Coalition
Ted Loza, Member
Chief of Staff, Councilmember Jim Graham, Ward One
Denise Nwzezeapu, Member
Senior Staff Consultant, Verizon Communications
Katie Groen, Member
Consultant