SOY
(Supporting Our Youth)
Pittsburgh
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
SOY Pittsburgh addresses academic needs in the Latino community by employing certified and experienced teachers, partnering with local universities, collaborating closely with school staff, and utilizing student data to guide daily homework help and personalized tutoring time. This, along with the use of evidence-based online reading and math programs, allows SOY staff to track student academic data and help students improve their learning and grades. Finally, families are an integral part of SOY Pittsburgh. SOY staff hold quarterly parent meetings on topics of interest, attend parent-teacher conferences as interpreters and advocates, and act as liaisons to improve family engagement and communication within the school.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
SOY Pittsburgh broadens students’ horizons through experiential learning and field trips, providing them with important and influential experiences that contribute to their growth. Culture and pride in students’ heritage come through Spanish language instruction and SOY’s community partnerships, such as a Latina artist in residence program and Latin dancing with Los Sabrosos. SOY Pittsburgh is one of few Out-of-School time programs across the country to implement the Positivity Project, a national movement that addresses social-emotional development by teaching children how to build positive relationships by identifying character strengths in themselves and others.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SOY Pittsburgh Elementary is a K-5 after-school program located at Beechwood Elementary School that exists to improve academic outcomes for Latino youth, while simultaneously building students’ pride in their native language and heritage.
SOY Pittsburgh Elementary addresses 4 main goals: academic advancement, cultural empowerment, social-emotional development, and family engagement.
COMMUNITY BASED OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING
In order to provide a safe and productive space for our neighbors to spend their Saturdays, the Latino Community Center offers weekend programming at our home site in East Liberty.
Maintaining our dedication to the foundational goals of the SOY program, this program forgoes specific academic programming in favor of a greater focus on cultural, artistic, and creative exploration.
Through partnerships with beloved local organizations like Los Sabrosos Dance Company, the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and Venture Outdoors, SOY Saturdays aims to provide students with opportunities that may not be available through traditional out-of-school time programs.
OUR PARTNERS
For more information, contact our SOY Pittsburgh Manager.