MARCH 2022
Thank You, Kay Lewellyan
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.
Kay came to YEMBA after serving for more than 38 years as a middle school teacher. Her master’s degrees in counseling and leadership were invaluable for YEMBA’s programming and made her a great resource for our students. Kay made a lasting impact in her relatively short time with us by creating an effective infrastructure, streamlining operations and enhancing our curriculum.
“I have enjoyed building relationships with our middle school students—they can be a challenging group but they are amazing people when they feel the freedom to express themselves,” Kay said. “I’ve also enjoyed working with our adult Mentors—helping them become better teachers while learning so much from them.”
Kay believes YEMBA has great potential and applauds the organization’s recent strategic planning process. She would like to see YEMBA expand its programming through the 12th grade so our Junior Mentors are well prepared for college or careers once they graduate.
“I love YEMBA’s spirit and mission--but it takes a community to make the program successful,” she said.
YEMBA wishes Kay well in her “second” retirement!
Introducing Julien Carbajosa
Julien Carbajosa, a senior at Oak Park River Forest High School, is serving as a Junior Mentor this year and is enjoying helping our middle school students with their homework and preparing them for the transition to high school.
“It’s challenging working with the students but I try to relate with them by remembering what it was like when I was their age. It’s important just to spend time with them,” he said.
Julien was a YEMBA participant as a 7th grader at Brooks Middle School. He was drawn to the program because of the basketball component but appreciated learning more about money management and financial literacy. In particular, he remembers a visit by an Oak Park police officer who shared tips for staying out of negative situations as well as opportunities for helping our community.
In addition to YEMBA, Julien is involved in the Spoken Word program at OPRFHS. After graduating this spring, Julien plans to study mechanics at Triton College.
Strategic Planning Process
YEMBA has embarked on a five-year strategic planning process, guided by the PIE Org, a Chicago-based firm that helps mission-driven organizations plan, implement and evaluate their capacity for growth. The comprehensive process, which included input from board members, community partners, youth mentors and YEMBA parents, was funded by the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township.
While PIE Org’s discussions with various stakeholders determined that YEMBA is well-respected and appreciated in our community, it recommends that we pivot from a start-up to an established organizational model focusing on growth and sustainability.
Over the next five years, we will focus on fundraising, internal operations, community and partner engagement, and programming. We also plan to expand our board and develop a strategy for sharing stories of our many successful student outcomes.
Thank you to the Community Mental Health Board for supporting this important initiative, and to the many individuals who participated.
Update on our building!
Our “new” building at 218 Lake Street in Oak Park is looking better, thanks to some initial painting by John Sullivan, who donated his service.
The offices have been set up and we look forward to welcoming students this summer for our MET workshops, the Homework Help Hotline and our summer transition program. Keep your eyes out for a notice about an open house this summer!
MEP Snapshot
As of the end of February, a total of 58 middle school students have attended YEMBA’s MEP program, including 25 at Brooks Middle School and 33 students at Julian Middle School, representing a total of more than 517 session hours. We anticipate increasing those numbers as the impact of COVID wanes this spring.
Partner Highlight
YEMBA is pleased to announce a significant grant of $15,000 from the Chicago chapter of the Laureus Sport for Good program. This is the second year that the program has supported YEMBA’s MEP platform, which includes a recreational component as part of our focus on social/emotional learning.
The Sport for Good program is a division of the Laureus Foundation USA, a global sports-based charity that works to improve the lives of young people. The program officer has indicated that Laureus looks forward to being a continuous partner with YEMBA.