Graduation
30,000 DIPLOMAS AND COUNTING
Graduation is more than a milestone, it’s a powerful declaration of hope, resilience, and determination. In 2024, Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) reached a historic achievement: more than 30,000 students have earned their high school diplomas through Simon Youth Academies since our founding.
These students have faced extraordinary challenges such as unstable housing, mental health struggles, caregiving responsibilities, and more. Yet, with the support of passionate educators, dedicated partners, and generous donors, they persevered.
#SYFMeansGraduation is more than a hashtag. It’s a promise. A promise that reflects our unwavering commitment to helping every student overcome adversity and earn the future they deserve.
This year alone, 1,763 students graduated from 33 Simon Youth Academies nationwide. Thanks to alternative education programs tailored to individual needs, these students didn’t just stay in school, they succeeded.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
While graduation remains at the heart of our mission, it is not the end of the story — it’s the beginning of the next chapter.
Through an increased emphasis on career and technical education (CTE), STEM courses, and non-core academic programming, students are gaining the skills and experiences they need to pursue a range of post-secondary pathways—whether that means college, careers, or military service.
At Simon Youth Academy at Baldwin High School, students are engaging in hands-on career exploration in fields like barbering, medical administration, jewelry making, music and sound engineering, and police science.
One particularly unique opportunity is the Future Jewelers Academy, launched in 2024 through a partnership with the Natural Diamond Council and the Black in Jewelry Coalition. This program provides students with immersive training in all aspects of the jewelry industry from design and benchwork to marketing and sales. Students complete 8–10 custom pieces, build professional portfolios, and earn college credit that can be applied to programs in the State School system.
Twelve students enrolled in the inaugural cohort, working three days a week with a professional jeweler. The experience blended practical instruction with deep industry insight, preparing students for both workforce entry and continued education.
This is just one example of how Simon Youth Academies are equipping students not only to graduate, but to thrive beyond the classroom.
And behind every program, every pathway, and every diploma is a student story that reminds us why this work matters.
Graduate Spotlight
Belle Ward
2024 Graduate – Simon Youth Springfield Learning Academy at White Oaks Mall
For many Simon Youth Academy students, simply showing up to school is a victory. Homelessness, food insecurity, caregiving responsibilities, and trauma often stand in the way of consistent attendance, let alone graduation.
At Simon Youth Springfield Learning Academy at White Oaks Mall, Academy Leader Dr. Reiko Hurd understands these challenges firsthand. Like many SYF educators, he places student support and dropout prevention at the center of his work.
One student who embodies that mission is Belle Ward, a 2024 graduate whose journey reflects resilience at every turn.
Belle’s education was interrupted in 10th grade when her mother became gravely ill. She dropped out to become her full-time caregiver. After her mother passed away, Belle moved in with her sister and began working full-time, believing her education had been permanently put on hold.
But her story didn’t end there.
Recognizing Belle’s potential, her sister reached out to Dr. Hurd, who welcomed Belle back to the Academy. Determined to keep the promise she made to her mother, Belle worked tirelessly to complete her coursework. With the support of her teachers, family, and friends, she not only earned her diploma, but also secured an Academy Scholarship to pursue her college dreams.
Belle’s story reminds us of what’s possible when we believe in students, meet them where they are, and refuse to give up on their potential. For students like Belle, graduation isn’t just a milestone, it’s a promise kept, a future reclaimed.
Are you a Simon Youth Academy Graduate? Stay in touch.
Join the SYF’s Alumni Network. We would enjoy hearing from you.
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