Last month, we kicked off our financial literacy unit for our mentees in partnership with Byline Bank. The unit consists of four weeks of workshops, each focusing on a different topic, from spending and saving to credit and interest. Our goal through this unit is to expose mentees to basic fundamentals of personal finance long before they start to take on financial responsibility in life so they can make informed decisions about money from the start. We want to extend our gratitude to Judette Kurasz at Byline Bank for facilitating the unit.

Last month we kicked off our All-Star Mentee Challenge to promote and reinforce YEMBA’s core values. Each day at the Mentoring Empowerment Program, stars are awarded to students who are fully engaged in the day’s workshop and exemplify outstanding leadership qualities. Mentees are provided an opportunity to trade in stars for prizes of their choice. Finally, leaders in each category will be honored at our end-of-year commencement ceremony and celebration.

Students in our middle school Mentoring Empowerment Program are making big strides with their multiplication fact knowledge thanks to the XtraMath program implemented by YEMBA volunteer Kim Godfrey, a retired middle school math teacher. Students start each day at the program with an XtraMath practice session. They can further their practice by challenging each other in a multiplication war card game. We have seen significant improvements in the scores of many students over the last few months through regular practice and making math fun with a little friendly competition.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program ended with a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nineteenth Century Club. During the program, the students shared with an audience of families and supporters the vision boards they created, depicting their goals and desires for the future. The students also were presented with stipends for participating in the program.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program ended with a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nineteenth Century Club. During the program, the students shared with an audience of families and supporters the vision boards they created, depicting their goals and desires for the future. The students also were presented with stipends for participating in the program.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program ended with a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nineteenth Century Club. During the program, the students shared with an audience of families and supporters the vision boards they created, depicting their goals and desires for the future. The students also were presented with stipends for participating in the program.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program ended with a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nineteenth Century Club. During the program, the students shared with an audience of families and supporters the vision boards they created, depicting their goals and desires for the future. The students also were presented with stipends for participating in the program.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program ended with a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nineteenth Century Club. During the program, the students shared with an audience of families and supporters the vision boards they created, depicting their goals and desires for the future. The students also were presented with stipends for participating in the program.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program ended with a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nineteenth Century Club. During the program, the students shared with an audience of families and supporters the vision boards they created, depicting their goals and desires for the future. The students also were presented with stipends for participating in the program.

YEMBA’s inaugural summer program includes a robust enrollment of 16 local students entering high school this fall. Retention has been good for the first couple weeks and feedback from students and parents has been positive.

Oak Park’s Day in Our Village, held on June 5, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, was a great success. Village residents came out in force, reconnecting with friends, enjoying music, and learning more about our many nonprofit organizations.

YEMBA is excited to announce its first-ever summer program for incoming freshmen. The program, which will be based at YEMBA’s new building at 218 W. Lake Street, Oak Park, will be held June 20 – July 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Designed to help middle school students feel more comfortable with the transition to high school, the program will include high school tours, financial literacy workshops, field trips to local businesses, and recreational activities.

Byline Bank is providing financial literacy workshops for YEMBA’s Mentoring Empowerment Program (MEP) throughout the month of April. Judette Kurasz, vice president and financial literacy officer, is offering the one-hour sessions, once per week at both Julian and Brooks middle schools. Kurasz has more than 35 years of experience in banking.

YEMBA bid a grateful adieu to Program Director Kay Lewellyan last month, although she has graciously agreed to serve as a consultant during the transition to Amari Wilkerson. Kay stepped into the position in September 2021 and helped YEMBA weather the challenges of COVID, and we deeply appreciate her many contributions.

YEMBA is offering programming on-site at Oak Park’s middle schools for the first time in 20 months, due to the impact of COVID-19. Special thanks to District 97 for recognizing the value of our programs, especially given the toll the pandemic has taken on the mental and physical health of our youth.