Leadership Education And Athletics In Partnership Inc

Target demographics: New Haven youth, ages 7-23

Direct beneficiaries per year: over 1,000 youth.

Geographic areas served: Dwight, Church Street South, Elm Haven, Fair Haven, and Farnam Courts neighborhoods

Programs: swimming, computer coding, art, tennis, dance, camping, literacy, and so much more. Leap is an academic and social enrichment program for children and youth. Our mission is to develop the strengths and talents of young leaders who create and implement year-round, community-based programs designed to achieve positive academic and social outcomes for children living in high poverty urban neighborhoods. Leap is an AmeriCorps program. The children's program, currently operating year-round, provides over 500 children ages 7 - 12 with summer and afterschool programming to develop children academically and socially. Our innovative group model pairs one college graduate (academic coach) with one college student (senior counselor) of the same gender to work with a group of ten to twelve boys or girls of the same age range. Leap children engage in structured activities to strengthen math, reading, and writing skills while developing socially within a team of their peers. Academic coaches and senior counselors plan and implement curriculum to increase their children's learning capacity and broaden the way that each young person thinks about themselves and others. Leap provides middle school students with educational and professional training to help support them in their school work and in their goals for the future. These students are leap's Leaders-in-Training (LITs). Leap provides high school students from the New Haven area with the chance to participate in the college summit program, SAT preparation and volunteerism activities. Senior Counselors, Junior Counselors and Leaders-in-Training are inspired to value education, self, and community; provided with personal and professional skill-building; exposed to new ideas and relevant social issues; and charged to act positively in their lives and communities.