Expansion
One of our guiding principles is to meet our youth where they’re at, and we’re constantly striving to put that into practice.
One way we do that is by finding new ways to offer programming that amplifies our impact.
Teen REACH
Last August, Y.O.U. began operating Teen REACH sites at Nichols Middle School and Washington Elementary School. Teen REACH is an Illinois Department of Human Services afterschool program. As part of this programming, we increased our operating hours to serve youth on Saturdays, non-attendance days, and during school breaks. This additional time with youth allowed for more flexibility with our activities. One highlight was museum week, a week of field trips to different museums including the National Museum of Mexican Art and the DuSable Black History Museum. In total, youth in the OST Program enjoyed 4,654 hours of field trips this year!
Counseling in Schools
The demand for our mental health counseling and outreach services is as high as ever. We have been offering support wherever we’re needed most—providing outreach in the community, working in partnership with other organizations, and conducting therapy at Y.O.U.’s building and at schools. Over the past year, we have been offering counseling at schools during the school day in order to reach more youth at a convenient time for them. Y.O.U.’s Master’s-level interns have also been leading group therapy sessions during the OST Program.
Reimagination
Our Lewis-Sebring MakerSpace has been a core part of our programming ever since we moved into our headquarters in 2017.
Last fall, we embarked on a revisioning process to better meet our youth’s needs, updating our goals for the space and reviving all of our equipment and technology.
Lewis-Sebring MakerSpace Relaunch
In the spring, we relaunched our STEM programming across all age groups, focusing on engineering, computer science, and robotics. Elementary youth from Walker and King Arts completed engineering design challenges, and middle school youth from Nichols and King Arts worked with Micro:bit hardware and Cutebots. During spring break, Y.O.U. staff and staff from Oakton College worked together to offer an AI Camp for middle schoolers, learning about AI during the mornings and engineering principles during the afternoons. One popular activity involved working in teams in a competition to build the tallest tower.
Summer STEM
Recognizing the importance of STEM for today’s youth, we offer STEM-focused enrichments throughout the entire year. During our summer camp, we led STEM activities everyday, both in the Lewis-Sebring MakerSpace and at the schools. A couple of youth’s favorite activities were designing and building boats and a LEGO robotics enrichment. Our summer STEM programming was supported by two iKit STEM interns from Evanston Township High School who helped to facilitate the LEGO activities and provided youth with thought partnership and hands-on support.
"I wasn’t really interested in [coding or computer science] before we started coming to Y.O.U. to work with those cute little robots, but now I really like it."
—King Arts youth
Connection
As an Evanston organization, we’re always looking for new ways to become even more engaged with the community.
For us, that means building relationships where youth can both learn from others and serve as sources of support.
Reading Buddies
One of the most rewarding ways to get youth excited about reading is reading with someone, and a summer reading partnership with The Mather, a senior living center in Evanston, did just that! Twice a week during the summer, elementary youth were paired up with a reading buddy from The Mather to read a book that was donated by a community member. The youth and their buddy then completed a creative activity based on what they just read. Thank you to the 25 volunteers from The Mather who spent 338 hours reading with Y.O.U. youth this summer!
Giving Back
Civic engagement helps youth build leadership skills, strengthen relationships, and make a difference in their community. Last year, middle school youth from King Arts developed all these skills with a yearlong enrichment program from the Civic Leadership Foundation. Once a week, they met to work on a civic engagement project, which was divided into three phases: identification of an issue important to youth, planning of a project based on this issue, and implementation of the plan. Youth divided themselves into two groups and worked on projects benefiting Meals on Wheels and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Exploration
Exposing youth to new opportunities and interests is a high priority at Y.O.U. We believe that youth should have the freedom to define their own goals.
By providing new experiences for them, we help expand their vision of what’s possible.
Entrepreneurship
In the spring, the high school program ran an entrepreneurship enrichment utilizing the Lewis-Sebring MakerSpace to imagine and design their own products. They created prototypes of goods such as resin coasters, wooden planters, and wooden birdhouses. This enrichment culminated in a Maker fair, where community members got to talk to youth about their design process and buy their products.
Summer Sewing
One of the most popular activities during the summer program was our sewing enrichment. Taught by Ms. Weinman, a longtime partner of Y.O.U., youth learned how to follow a pattern and use a sewing machine to make their very own tote bags, wallets, and pencil pouches.
Cycle Squad
In partnership with The Recyclery and the City of Evanston, Y.O.U. started a biking club for middle school youth. They learned bike safety and road rules, went on biking trips after school and during the summer, and earned their own bike at the end of the program!
"My child loves being able to choose the activities that interest her."
—Y.O.U. Caregiver
Learn More
Explore Y.O.U.'s full 2025 Annual report to learn more about our work, including our financials and a list of our generous partners and donors.