YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas
MAPPING YOUR JOURNEY TO POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS
The YMCA Achievers program is a national college readiness program designed to help teens through academic support, career exploration, and mentoring. The Achievers program encourages teens to raise their academic standards and explore diverse college & career options. Teens also develop a positive sense of self, build character, and meet and interact with professionals who serve as role models to inspire them to greater heights. Meetings times, dates, and locations are determined by the school and their advisors.
OUR MISSION
The central purpose of the Y Achievers Program is to help teens establish and pursue high educational and career goals resulting in high school graduation and acceptance to an institution of higher learning or successful adoption of a vocation.
We target schools that have low graduation rates, few college and career readiness resources, and a large percentage of low-SES students. It is crucial that students, particularly in low-income areas, start thinking about their post-secondary options as early as possible so they can enter high school focused on long-term goals.
HOW TO ENROLL
Each teen enrolled in the Y Achievers program through a school affiliation will receive instruction from the Overcoming Obstacles and/or Success Bound curriculum and attend two one-hour sessions per week for 31weeks which may be during the school day in their career pathways courses. The Overcoming Obstacles and Success Bound curriculum teaches students the skills they need to achieve success. Each week, there are different lessons covering items such as interview techniques, conflict resolution, developing financial responsibility, visiting colleges, resume writing, completing financial aid applications, and stress management.
Students enrolled in Y Achievers whose school does not offer a club or career pathways class can use the program as an added resource. Students can choose what activities and programming they wish to attend.
All students will have the opportunity to attend events such as college fairs, college tours, college games, and teen summits organized by the Y. These events will give students the opportunity to listen to guest speakers with experience on a variety of subjects.
Students registered for Y Achievers automatically gain access to opportunities with all of our partnering organizations and our monthly newsletter filled with information on upcoming events, scholarships, and even monthly raffles!
The program cost is FREE (some special events may require transportation & lodging costs).
Click the button below to register your student:
Do you require financial assistance for any of Y Achievers paid events? Fill out the form below to let us know and a representative will be in contact with you:
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Check back soon for our 2022-2023 School Calendar
VOLUNTEER WITH Y ACHIEVERS
Y Achievers loves to provide quality events for our teens but we can't do it without our amazing volunteers. We are always looking for people wanting help out with these occasions. Please check back later for our 2022-23 Volunteer sign up form!
Must be 21+ years old to volunteer.
CONGRATS TO OUR 2022 YMCA COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS!
During the month of January, students all across the metroplex applied for the YMCA College Scholarship which awards renewable scholarships of up to $3000 for four years. During February, the Y conducted 40 interviews to select 20 winners. After some very tough competition, we are proud to announce that 6 Y Achiever students were awarded this scholarship.
Congratulations to the following students on this accomplishment:
Bryan Chacon
Kennedie Phillips
Kassandra Zapata
Johnjuanna Fisher
Ana Saenz
Peace Erezi
Want to be a 2022-23 Y Ambassador? Review our requirements and keep an eye out for our application launching in late August!
UPCOMING EVENTS
NATIONAL Y ACHIEVERS LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
On August 5-10, Y Achievers will be traveling to the Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC to participate in the National Y Achievers Leadership Summit. Students will get to attend workshops designed to help them be successful in college and their career beyond. Additionally, they will get to take advantage of the different camp activities available like zip lining, hiking, disk golf, among others.
PAST EVENTS
BOSS UP: VIRTUAL CAREER EXPLORATION DAY
On October 9th, 2021, we partnered with the Houston Y Achievers program to bring our students a virtual career day filled with important speakers and entrepreneurs of all kinds. Students learned lessons on how to run their own business and essentials skills to have when being an entrepreneur.
Miss the career day? Want some tips on entrepreneurship skills? Watch Noggin Educational Foundation's video on Kid Entrepreneurship here.
VISIT TO TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
On Saturday, October 23, 2021, our seniors toured the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX. In addition to the tour, students took a lap through Frog Alley, observing TCU's homecoming activities and attended the TCU vs West Virginia football game. We even had some of our students up on the Jumbotron!
TRIP TO DALLAS MAVERICKS GAME
On Saturday, December 4, 2021, our students had the opportunity of attending the Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies game at the American Airlines Center. Students had a blast driving through downtown during the Christmas season, exploring the American Airlines Center, and watching a professional basketball game!
SENIOR NIGHT OUT AT MAIN EVENT OF GRAND PRAIRIE
On Thursday, February 17th, 2022, Y Achiever students got to go to the Main Event of Grand Prairie and enjoy 4 hours of unlimited play time. Seniors participated in bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and the recently installed escape rooms. Additionally, students got to participate in a QR Scanvenger Hunt, a Y Achievers original. Seniors scrambled to find QR codes strategically placed around the building for the chance to win the first place prize: a $100 IKEA gift card and 3 month membership to the GP YMCA. Congrats to our winners!
1st Place: Destiny Tavera
2nd Place: Kaelyn Wright
3rd Place: Kaela Salgado
4th Place: Edwin Zuniga
5th Place: Myra Monsivais
6th Place: Yulianna Alvarado
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEEN SUMMIT
On April 23, 2022, Y Achievers held our first Middle School Teen Summit in partnership with UNT Dallas. Students from Grand Prairie ISD and Duncanville ISD travelled to the beautiful UNT Dallas Campus for a morning of inspiring workshops, delicious breakfast, and the opportunity to earn some great prizes.
SPRING 2022 SENIOR BANQUET
This past weekend, on Friday April 29th, we hosted our last event of the year, the Y Achievers Senior Banquet. We gave our students a signing party experience in addition to a formal dinner. We got to celebrate all the amazing accomplishments of our Seniors and reflect on the great year we had!
PREPPING TO GO OFF TO COLLEGE?
Take a look at our college crash course, a presentation with many helpful tips on what to bring to college, how to register, combat homesickness, among other things!
CONTACT US
Director:
Dr. Tonjia Grimble
Program Coordinator:
Caren Ayala
OUR PARTNERS:
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