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

2007-08 Student Demographics

63 Students enrolled

Gender: Male 33 (52%) Female 30 (48%)

Ethnicity: Black 33 (62%)  Latino 29 (37%)    Asian 1 (2%)

Reading Grade Level:

1-3  - 16 (25%)
4-6  - 41 (65%)
77-8 - 5 (8%)
9-12 - 1 (2%)

Age: <16 - 12 (19%)
17 - 16 (25.4%)
118 - 13 (20,6%)
119 - 6 (9.5%)
220 - 4 (6.3%)
221 - 3 (4.8%)
222 - 5 (7.9%)
223 - 3 (4.8%)
224 - 1 (1.6%)

PParents: 15 (24%)
Court Involved: 22 (35%)
LLimited or No English: 10 (16%)
Special Ed: 7 (11%)

Stafff

Patricia Bravo, Executive Director.  202-319-2236.  patricia@layc-dc.org
Patricia is the Executive Director and one of the founders of the YouthBuild Public Charter School which was started in September, 2005.  For five years prior to that, she served as the Director of the Work Skills Division of the Latin American Youth Center. In that role she managed programs for older youth who had dropped out of traditional high schools, such as the Youth Opportunities and YouthBuild programs.

Prior to her work in direct services with the Latin American Youth Center, she worked as a Congressional staffer for Senator Bob Kerrey from Nebraska, as an appointee of the Clinton Administration at the Administration for Children and Families, and as an organizer and advocate for low-income children and families at the Children’s Defense Fund.

She has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Spanish from the University of Nebraska.

Andrea Hinson, Principal.  202-319-2296.  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.

Nicole Smith, Director of Curriculum and Instruction.  202-319-8649.  nicole@layc-dc.org
As the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Nicole Smith provides leadership to the Education team at the YouthBuild Public Charter School and works to develop and improve YouthBuild’s vocational and academic curricula.  Nicole has worked in education, both teaching and supervising teachers, for 10 years.  She has been with the Latin American Youth Center YouthBuild Public Charter School for 2 years.  Prior to that, she worked at the YouthBuild Philadelphia Public Charter School.

Nicole has her B.S. in Elementary Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her M. Ed. from Temple University.

Gina Kelley, Business and Compliance Specialist, 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.


Instructional Staff

Ligia Arreaga,  Spanish GED Instructor.  202-319-2291.  ligia@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.

Vini Espinoza, Math and Science GED Instructor, 202-319-2290, vini@layc-dc.org
Vini teachers Math and Science GED classes at YouthBuild. He was previously a teacher at the Latin American Youth Center's Next Step Public Charter School, and also has extensive experience in the construction field with specialization in HVAC technology.

Phyllis Henderson, GED and ESOL 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.


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.

Howard Spriggs, Construction Coordinator, 202-319-0140, howard@layc-dc.org
Howard Spriggs is a YouthBuild alumni who has worked in the construction industry since 2005. He is certified in OSHA 30, First Aid and CPR, and has worked on government and private-sector construction projects with a specialty in carpentry. He is the recipient of the YouthBuild Above the Line award.


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.

Alison Lee, Placement Specialist. 202-319-2230. alee@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.s


Administrative Staff

Iris Mata, Office Manager/Registrar.  202-518-0601.  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.

Maria Sanchez, Attendance Specialist/Receptionist.  202-319-0141.  miriam@layc-dc.org

Board of Trustees

Kristi Cunningham, Chair
President & COO, Velocity Global Logistics

Howard Riker, Treasurer
Vice President, Hines

Andrea Carlson, Secretary
Education and Development Consultant

Pablo Benavente, Member
Design Specialist, MANNA Inc.

Gilma Galindez, Member
Child Care Provider & Cleaning Services Specialist

Keith Hines, Member
Special Education Paraprofessional, DC Bilingual Public Charter School

Mark Jordan, Member
Consultant for the Special Arbiter of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

Lori Kaplan, Member
Executive Director, Latin American Youth Center

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

Johnese McFail, Member
College Student

Nolan Smith, Member
Construction Manager, MANNA Inc.

Location

YouthBuild PCS is located in Washington DC’s Columbia Heights neighborhood, an area undergoing major re-development.  There is an urgent shortage of safe, affordable housing in the area.  Tensions between rival youth groups often result in violence.  Crime rates are among the city’s highest.  The need is pressing for educational alternatives, given that nearly half of DC public school students drop out before graduation.