Where is the door?

“I felt trapped and had nowhere to turn for help.”

Hugo Hernandez has a story that, unfortunately, has become more common in the United States. After learning he was going to be a father at the age of 17, Hugo knew it was paramount to find a way to support his new family. His girlfriend was kicked out of her home and his family was non-existent, most moving back to Mexico five years ago. Hugo’s father had nine kids of his own, so looking for support from him was wishful thinking. The decision to drop out of high school was an unfortunate reality.

Mowing lawns and landscaping keeps food on the table, but with rent and bills the door of opportunity wouldn’t be opening any time soon. Simon Youth Judson Learning Academy at Rolling Oaks Mall in San Antonio, Texas was introduced to Hugo as a chance to earn his diploma and continue working. He was able to balance school work and his job, and now he is poised to graduate in June.

“I focused like never before on my education,” said Hugo. “The flexible schedule, the amazing teachers, and the ability to work on my own made me learn a lot more than what I thought.”

The Academy has ignited Hugo’s love for education and his desire to make a better life for his family. While he hasn’t decided exactly what he wants to do, he has the opportunity to go anywhere his dreams take him.

“I will never let a chance like this one go in life. I realize that in my case without an education I will be nowhere. I have hope now of becoming someone better in the future and I will do the impossible to provide better for family.”

Simon Youth Foundation is celebrating 15 years of igniting hope, graduating more than 10,000 students, and awarding more than $10 million in scholarships. The 23 academies in 13 states partner with more than 50 school districts and graduate students at a 90% rate. Learn more at syf.org.

Partnerships are Key to Success

Simon Youth Foundation exists because of individual and corporate partnerships. Without critical funding, Simon Youth Academies and Simon Youth Scholarships would not be available to at-risk youth who need the chance to succeed. One of these corporate partners is SMS Holdings who have chosen to invest in the future.

SYF knows it takes $1,000 to graduate a student in one of our 23 Academies in 13 states. In addition, a graduate earns more than $350,000 over their lifetime compared to their dropout counterpart. According to a study conducted by Northeastern University, on any given day, about one in every 10 young male high school dropouts is in jail or juvenile detention. This scary statistic is yet another reason to support the mission of SYF and keep at-risk youth on the path toward personal and professional success.

Why does SMS Holdings support the efforts of SYF? Take a look at the video featuring Keith Wolken, SMS Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, and Jim Burnett, SMS Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer.

High school students given a second chance to graduate

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - For many students, graduation is an expected end to their high school career. That was not the case for Sara Al-Khafaji.

"I actually dropped out of school," Al-Khafaji said. "I heard about the Academy at Hickory Hollow and I decided to come here.

"For most of the graduates, an Academy program was their last chance at getting a high school diploma."We take them in. We fuss at them, we hug them," Academy at Hickory Hollow Principal, Billy Fellman said. "But if they're determined they're going to get their high school diploma."

"(I) tried my best to go to other schools," Al-Khafaji said, "but they wouldn't accept me because I was too old."

The Academy at Hickory Hollow, Opry Mills and Old Cockrill all provide credit recovery programs. Together, they've graduated about 1,400 students in the last four years.

"I'm going to Nashville State. I'm going to major in computer technology," Academy at Opry Mills graduate William Norfleet said. "I hope to be an IT guy someday."

A majority of the graduates have already committed to attending college, the military or a  vocational school.

"We look at the whole picture. After high school what are we going to do to get you ready for life," Fellman said. "We help get jobs also for those who college is not in their future."

It's programs like this, that have helped cut Metro's dropout rate in half. Just by giving student's like Sara another chance, this time to celebrate being the first female in her family to graduate from high school.

Credit to: Aundrea Cline-Thomas, News Channel 5 in Nashville, TN

NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather

There's a First for Everything

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” It can be scary to make the decision that your dreams are worth it. When staring violence and poverty in the face, it’s hard to realize there is a way out. Luis Prieto-Pena was on the verge of giving up hope that his life could be different than his older siblings and kids in his neighborhood on the eastside of Indianapolis (IN). Working third shift to help support his mother and five siblings was a big responsibility for a 17 year old, but Luis had a friend who ignited hope that by earning a high school diploma he could break the cycle of despair.

In America’s down economy, stories like Luis’ are growing. More than 7,000 youth walk away from high school every day, some mere credits shy of earning their diploma. Luis was almost a year behind in school and saw no way to recover from the lost classes. Simon Youth Pacers Academy at Washington Square Mall showed him a way to keep his job and earn his diploma. Not only did Luis become the first in his family to graduate high school, he did so by exceeding everyone’s expectations. He developed a love of numbers and decided he wanted to go after a career that would keep math in his life.

Watch Luis’ complete story here. Be sure to share it with everyone you know, especially those who may need a little inspiration to become who they are meant to be.

You CAN do it

Breaking the cycle of self-destruction is difficult, if not impossible. When you stop working, it snowballs into getting behind, and before you know it you can’t catch back up no matter how hard you try. This is what Devika Bishun faced after losing her father in January of 2010.

Devika became very sick due to stress. She started to miss school and quickly became unfocused. In her junior year, she realized graduation would be impossible if she didn’t start applying herself. She was so far behind her classmates, no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t get back what she let go. She began to give up hope until she was introduced to Simon Youth Academy at the Terrace at the Florida Mall in Orlando, Florida.

“Simon Youth Academy gave me a second chance to prove to myself that I can be successful,” said Devika. “The teachers were so patient with me to make sure I would be able to make my next future steps. My experience at the Academy has not just been attending school, but it made me feel like I was going to my second family.”

Devika said crossing the stage to accept her hard-earned diploma will be a special experience. Going from a deep hole to having hands extended to help her find the fortitude to do it is something she will never forget or take for granted.

“I will be the first in my family to earn a high school diploma and I am very proud that my diploma will be part of ensuring a successful future. I will further my studies in Social Work to help families and children deal with emotional and physical difficulties. Due to losing my father and receiving tremendous help from different social workers and programs, this dream has become possible and I want to inspire this hope in others.”

Devika’s goal is to work with Hospice and Palliative Care to care for people who are facing a life-threatening illness or injury. She wants to emotionally and spiritually support patients’ needs and wishes, and support the patient’s loved ones as well. Devika learned more than just history and math, she learned that all someone needs is a chance and someone to be there for support along the way.

Thank You Teachers

Somewhere along the way, a teacher influenced your life in a big way. Perhaps the teacher encouraged you to pursue a particular interest or skill, challenged you to push the limits and achieve more, or saw something in you that you were unable to see on your own. The first week of May is an opportunity to thank those teachers who helped you and continues to influence the lives of countless other students.

For 15 years, teachers at Simon Youth Academies have been igniting hope in at-risk youth across the United States. Some of the best teachers and administrators in the nation take on the challenge to see these students through high school graduation. Without the steadfast support of more than 120 teachers in 23 Academies in 13 states, more than 10,000 students would have become statistics in the dropout crisis facing America. Instead these 10,000 graduates are able to pursue their dreams all thanks to the teachers who put in tireless effort to see them succeed.

The most important factor in a student’s success in school is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. It takes a special kind of person to become a teacher, especially one that has decided a Simon Youth Academy is where they can make the most difference. The time and energy they devote to ensure these students don’t fall through the cracks and can instead walk away with their diploma is admirable and deserves our deepest appreciation.

Day in and day out these teachers don’t look for recognition, but there is a way to show them how much you care. PEOPLE magazine wants to highlight amazing teachers by announcing the first PEOPLE Teacher of the Year Award. You can download an application and nominate your favorite teacher. Applications will be accepted through July 2, and the winners will be determined by PEOPLE's editors and an independent panel of education professionals. The panel includes Kimberly Oliver Burnim, a prize-winning Maryland teacher; John Deasy, superintendent of L.A. Unified School District; Lily Eskelsen of the National Education Association; Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of Teach for America; and Grammy-winning musician and philanthropist John Legend.

Five educators working in grades K-12, who are making a difference in their students' lives, will be awarded a $5,000 prize, with support from the sponsor Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal.

Take a moment today to thank a teacher and nominate them for all they have done for you.

Internship Exposes Students to Manufacturing

CRC Interns Jonathan Yoder (left) and Michael Roberts (right).

Landing a job in the current economic landscape is not easy. Studies are now showing that an internship may be the best way to secure full-time employment. A recent survey conducted by internships.com talked with students, graduates and more than 300 human resources and recruitment professionals which found 69% of companies with 100 or more employees offered full-time jobs to their interns in 2012.

Along with bolstering a resume, students also get an opportunity to try out a potential career before they commit to it. They gain many skills and find out what it takes to be successful regardless of their future employment path. Interactions with management and other workers provide a base level of understanding the inner workings of a company and give the employers a good idea of how the intern would fit should they extend a full-time opportunity.

Two students from Simon Youth Rose Tree Media Academy at Granite Run Mall in Media, Pennsylvania, Michael Roberts (seen on the right of the picture) and Jonathan Yoder (on left), are interning at Container Research Corporation. Based in Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, the company designs and manufactures containers for helicopter blades, satellites and other commercial and government projects. CRC partnered with the Academy to give students practical experience, learn manufacturing career skills and study business applications in a hands-on manner.

Each intern accepted into the program specializes in one of 10 manufacturing or education areas throughout the manufacturing facility. The internship areas are comprised of Accounting, Business Operations, Plant management, Welding, Engineering, Machine work, Contracts/Sales, Paint, Assembly and testing, Technology and Quality Management Systems.

The CRC-SYA partnership exists to help high school students make a more informed decision about their future and promote a possible career path. The program seeks to inspire the participants to complete high school, be more self-confident about life, and be better prepared to make important academic and career decisions. This opportunity was extended to Michael and Jonathan who are currently working hard and enjoying the experience. SYF will be following their progress and get their thoughts on the internship upon their completion.

The Gift of Inspiration

Deborah Weber is surprised by colleagues who gave $1,000
to SYF in her honor.

Some say actions speak louder than words. At the Simon Youth Foundation Northeast Bowling for Education event, a record breaking amount was raised for SYF. More than $275,000 was raised  benefitting the efforts to provide educational opportunities for at-risk youth. There is a story behind the story here. The efforts to make this event special were spearheaded by Deborah Weber, Mall Manager at Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, New York. Her fellow colleagues saw this as a perfect opportunity to honor her in a very special way.

It takes $1,000 to graduate a student from a Simon Youth Academy which means the overall event will assist 275 more diploma-seeking at-risk youth. To say thanks and honor Debby, the mall team at Walt Whitman Shops had an internal fundraiser and raised $1,000 more.  Between the event’s final total amount and the surprise honor, this will be one event she never forgets.

“My reaction was euphoria,” Debby said. “This event was the highest producing field event in the history of SYF, surpassing the former best event - our 2011 event. Since I founded this event for the company six years ago, the Northeast Region has raised over $1,000,000 with these Bowling Events. Add to that number, the donations from Bowling Events held around the company and it's even more impressive.”

Debby said she is so proud to be a part of a company that supports a foundation with an inspiring mission. She said ensuring at-risk students who might be left behind due to social circumstances, are embraced, encouraged and guided to ultimately successful lives through education is very important.

“A significant part of my personal background has been to support education for all children. I am in awe of the power of a successful company that can motivate its employees to raise millions for the support of those students who cannot learn in a traditional environment.”

There were 390 people and over 170 companies represented at the Bowling for Education event which helped exceed the previous record. This comes during a year of milestones for SYF including 15 years of igniting hope, awarding more than $10 million in scholarships and graduating our 10,000th student.

In addition to this honor, Debby was recently awarded the Best of the Best Mall Manager award by Simon Property Group at this year's Northeast Regional Meeting. Walt Whitman Shops earned the Ignite Hope award and Overall Fundraising Excellence award from SYF.

It is through the tireless efforts of Simon Property Group employees like Debby Weber that put the Simon in Simon Youth Foundation. We are very grateful for all the support we receive throughout the year at events such as this and we commend the Northeast Region for their help igniting hope.

Debby’s leadership in raising funds has literally helped SYF graduate 1,001 students!