In this issue: Academy School reopens; new ELP classrooms open in Francis Howell School District; job fair seeks program staff; and registration open for annual trivia night.

Early Learning Center Reopens as a Community School

Youth In Need’s Academy School celebrated its reopening earlier this month with a ribbon cutting and school tours. Closed for just over a year, Academy School reopened earlier this year after undergoing a facility-wide renovation.

Located in the Academy/Sherman Park neighborhood, Academy School provides high-quality early childhood education services as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programming at no cost to qualifying families so that children are prepared to enter kindergarten on par with their peers. Designed to be both an educational institution and a center of community life, Academy School will be developing a wide variety of supports to parents, guardians and families, including workforce readiness and employment support; access to essential needs such as food and clothing as well as healthcare and mental healthcare.

One such support is the Academy School Community Clinic, which operates on-site in partnership with iFM Community Medicine. Currently open to families of enrolled children and staff, the clinic will eventually be open to the community at large once licensing is complete. Academy School also has partnered with The St. Louis Association of Community Organizations and Neighborhood Watch while it works toward future plans to fill gaps in the community’s needs not met elsewhere.

YIN Opens New ELP Classrooms in Francis Howell School District

Youth In Need recently opened two new Early Learning Program classrooms in the Francis Howell School District, one at Central Elementary and one at Harvest Ridge Elementary. The new classrooms will serve 30 preschool students, ages 3 to 5, and have two bilingual teachers for the six dual language students currently enrolled.

“All of the three early childhood centers within the district are largely fee-based slots, which are unaffordable to a large population of families,” said Sarah Briddell, St. Charles County Operations Director for Youth In Need’s Early Learning Programs. “This led to many children entering kindergarten lacking the skills needed to be successful.”

There are plans to open one more classroom at Henderson Elementary once space allows for the expansion.

YIN to Hold Job Fair for Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs

Are you looking for a career that makes a difference? Supporting youth experiencing homelessness is critically important always, but especially now. We’re hiring for positions in our Street Outreach program, Transitional Living Program, Emergency Shelter and more. Learn more about joining our team of caring, mission-driven staff on Thursday, April 20, 2023, from noon to 4 p.m. at 1815 Boone’s Lick Road in St. Charles.

Youth In Need’s employees enjoy:

• Amazing benefits
• Generous paid time off
• Strengths-based culture
• Commitment to racial equity

Let us know if you’ll be there! Click here to RSVP.

Test Your Trivia Knowledge

Join Youth In Need’s Young Professionals Group for its annual Trivia Night, presented by Mia Rose Holdings, on Friday, May 12, at the Bridgeton Recreation Center! Doors open at 6 p.m., and trivia begins at 7 p.m.

Registration is $200 for tables of eight and includes soda, beer, wine and popcorn. Outside food and drinks are encouraged, just no glass, please. Event Sponsors ($500) and Round Sponsors ($150) are still needed, too. Your fun-filled evening includes 10 rounds of trivia, a silent auction, raffles and more!

In this issue: St. Charles Early Learning Center opens; United Way holds annual campaign; and Pat chats about the Stockdale Paradox.

St. Charles Early Learning Center Opens

There’s nothing better than children laughing and learning, and both now fill new play space and classrooms at Youth In Need’s central office on Boone’s Lick Road. The new St. Charles Early Learning Center opened last month and serves 16 children, ages six weeks to two years. The center is currently full, but to join the waitlist, call 636-329-4368 to schedule an appointment. This is Youth In Need’s second early learning center in St. Charles County, replacing the St. Peters center that closed earlier this year.

Youth In Need’s newest early learners have a new play structure, tot swing, musical instruments, art panels and garden boxes to enjoy, and office spaces were transitioned to classrooms by adding bathrooms, sinks, diaper changing space, food prep areas and more.

United Way Holds Annual Campaign

This month, the United Way of Greater St. Louis will wrap up its annual fundraising campaign, which supports hundreds of organizations just like Youth In Need. With a continued focus on creating a strong safety net of nonprofits that can meet the vast needs of our community, the United Way’s vital funding helps Youth In Need provide critical and direct services to children and families in the St. Louis region. Youth In Need held its internal United Way fundraising campaign this month as well. The United Way is helping here. Learn more at helpingpeople.org.

Pat’s Chat: The Stockdale Paradox

I’ve been thinking about Jim Braun a lot recently, and how he dealt with hard things, especially as we struggle through these often challenging times. Jim led Youth In Need from 1988 until 2013, and he was my boss, my mentor and my friend. One of Jim’s defining characteristics was his optimism and hope. He really exemplified the Stockdale Paradox, one of the principles highlighted in the book about common traits of successful companies, Good to Great. The Stockdale Paradox is a concept about balancing realism and optimism.

It says that “you must maintain unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, and at the same time, have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” The Stockdale Paradox is named after Admiral Jim Stockdale, who was a United States military officer held captive for eight years during the Vietnam War. Stockdale was tortured more than twenty times by his captors, and never had much reason to believe he would survive the prison camp and someday get to return home and see his wife again. And yet, he never lost faith during his ordeal: “I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”

This Stockdale Paradox really aligns with our strength-based philosophy and approach, and Youth In Need staff use it every day. To paraphrase Brené Brown, we show up for people in pain and don’t look away. Our clients may face seemingly insurmountable problems, yet our staff hold space and hold hope for them, and work with them step by step to achieve their goals. Our organization faces the reality of the health risks, staffing crisis and financial implications of a global pandemic, and we persevere to serve children, youth and families throughout the region, creating positive change daily. And we confront the disparities and inequities that most threaten our clients’ well-being, while believing in and working toward a transformed future where all children thrive.

“One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else’s survival guide.” ― Brené Brown​