Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center

Our goals are to help students achieve grade-level proficiency and promotion, high school graduation, and college access and success. Our objectives include:

1. Provide homework assistance and tutoring to help students achieve all goals

2. Promote college access and success through tutoring, SAT-prep, mentors, internships, extracurricular activities, field trips, college advisement, tours and scholarships, and project-based labs promoting the four college readiness skills: critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creative expression

3. Expose students to the A-G requirements through college plans, College and Career Day, and STEM, performing and visual arts and other college-prep activities

4. Provide life skills and leadership development through discussion groups, community service, civic engagement, sports and recreation, and cooking and other classes

5. Promote socio-emotional development through behavior intervention, and youth and family counseling

At their 2018 retreat, our board of directors identified the following six strategies for success:

1. Licensing/E Occupancy: Renovate our buildings to obtain an E occupancy and child care center license for quality facilities and standards.

2. Human Capital: Increase staff and volunteer development and pursue partnerships to improve program quality and defray costs.

3. Financial Position: Establish a brokerage account, endowment and other long-term solutions.

4. Program Effectiveness: Explore new and innovative options for homework completion, assessment score increases, school promotion and graduation, SAT-prep and college enrollment.

5. 5. Personal Safety: Build relationships with first responders and other civic and community agencies, install cameras and other physical security, conduct first aid and CPR training.

6. Risk Management: Establish a disaster plan, including readiness to serve as a temporary relief site.

The Wooten Center has 17 board members -- more than half financial advisors, corporate executives or college professors providing fiscal oversight, financial gifts and/or program support.

Our board chair Paul Wetmore is managing director of investments at Merrill Lynch. He has a BA in psychology from Dartmouth and a Certified Investment Management Analyst certification from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania. Invest in Others selected Paul as 1 of 3 finalists for their 2018 Catalyst Award for financial advisors involved in community service.

Naomi McSwain was executive director our first 4 years, returning in 2010 after working as a reporter wanting to provide solutions for gang violence. She has a BA in journalism/marketing from CSUN and an MA in intercultural studies/children at risk from Fuller Seminary. United Way of Greater LA selected Naomi as recipient of their first Power of Her Award in 2018. She is one of 7 staff members, all of whom are college students or graduates.

See numbers in parentheses for our outcomes results for 2016-17:

1. 80% of students will complete homework and/or studies by June (82%)

2. 80% of students tested will increase their scores in math (80%) and reading (84%) by June

3. 10% of students will attain grade level proficiency in math (15%) and reading (7%) by June

4. 80% of onsite students will be promoted to their next grade level and/or graduate high school by June (100%, 21 youth)

5. 80% of onsite high school seniors will enroll in college by June (100%, 3 youth)

6. 80% of SAT workshop participants surveyed will be satisfied (101) or very satisfied (106) with the instruction (95%)