20,000 Graduates in 20 Years
In its 20-year history, Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) has helped more than 20,000 students graduate high school. SYF celebrated its 20,000th graduate, a significant milestone for the Foundation, at a December 2019 graduation ceremony at Simon Youth Academy at Opry Mills in Nashville, TN. SYF livestreamed the event on Facebook so that our network of supporters could join us in celebrating this momentous occasion.
SYF has reached this milestone through partnering with local public school districts to launch Simon Youth Academies, alternative classroom settings dedicated to high school dropout recovery and personalized learning environments. SYF sees who kids who struggle to succeed in a traditional classroom for who they really are — a girl working two jobs to support her family. A girl battling a chronic disease. A boy surviving homelessness. A girl soon to best in her family to graduate high school. We understand that their circumstances require a different kind of learning so we’re building educational spaces right for them.
In the 2019-20 academic year, SYF helped more than 2,000 students graduate, bringing our lifetime total to nearly 22,000 graduates. SYF’s 2019-20 graduates hail from our national network of 37 Simon Youth Academies in 15 states, which represent partnerships with 24 public school districts.
They also joined thousands of students across the country who graduated in the midst of COVID-19. While many Simon Youth Academies were unable to hold traditional, in-person graduation ceremonies this spring, SYF Academy Leaders didn’t let that stop them from celebrating graduates.
Just as Simon Youth Academy teachers go above and beyond to help their students reach graduation day, they went to great lengths to make sure the students still had a celebration during unprecedented circumstances.
Graduation ceremonies took a variety of different formats which took into consideration their local social distancing guidelines. Nashville-based Academies hosted drive-through graduation ceremonies where principals and teachers awarded diplomas and scholarships as graduates drove through with their families. Many Academies planned virtual graduation ceremonies, and others hosted outdoor, socially distant ceremonies in-person. Several Simon Youth Academy leaders collected photos, videos, and also recorded messages of congratulations to create slideshows and videos to share with students and families, ensuring the memories live on long after graduation day.
Through partnerships with local public school districts, SYF has been able to reduce high school dropout rates in communities where Simon Youth Academies are based, and help countless young people realize a successful future is possible. We look forward to continuing to expand our programs in the next 20 years to reach even more students.
Graduate Spotlight: Hector
Growing up in Mexico and moving to Indianapolis as an adolescent was a difficult adjustment for Hector. He was shy, and the language barrier made him feel like he was simply a bystander at school. Despite these challenges, Hector thrived academically – he earned a 4.1 GPA his freshman year of high school.
However, after falling in with a different crowd during his sophomore year, he was on the verge of dropping out, and knew he had to make a change. Hector found the ideal learning environment at Simon Youth Academy. He graduated in 2019, and earned a Simon Youth Scholarship to make his dream of going to college a reality.
SYF can’t wait to see what Hector accomplishes next. To learn more about Hector’s story, visit https://syf.org/student-stories
Are you a graduate of one of SYF’s 37 Simon Youth Academies?
Help us tell your story by registering for SYF’s Alumni Network: syf.org/alumni.
Simon Youth Kelley Academy at Lincoln Park Center’s Class of 2020 celebrates their graduation.
Simon Youth Academy at Hickory Hollow hosted a drive-through graduation ceremony to celebrate their graduates.
A Nashville Simon Youth Academy student receives her scholarship award during a drive-through graduation ceremony.
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