Youth Programs
185 +
Youth Served Annually
Hours of annual after-school and summer programs
650
70%
After-school students have a 3.0 GPA or higher
High school mentees pursued higher education this year
100%
What We Do
CMAA's Youth Programs offer a variety of academic, social, and educational programs to low-income and minority youth between the ages of 4 and 22 years old. These programs create a fun, safe, open, and healthy environment where youth can thrive and succeed academically, socially, professionally, and personally.
Services
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After School Program
CMAA’s after-school program, Diverse Young Leaders, develops the skills that K-8th grader youth from immigrant families develop the skills they need to succeed in school through homework help and enrichment activities. Each semester, over 80 young people build strong peer connections, relationships with trusted and caring adults, and celebrate and exchange their cultural backgrounds. Through academic studies, cultural dance, and social enrichment games, projects, and activities, Diverse Young Leaders become student leaders and grow as a peer community. The Diverse Young Leaders after-school program runs every week of the school year, Monday through Friday, from 3 to 6 PM.
This program serves youth from the K-8th grade that lives in the city of Chicago.
Youth Summer Camp
During the summer months, CMAA’s after-school Diverse Young Leaders program transitions into a full-day summer camp for students to engage in academic, social, and recreational activities. Students prepare to get ahead of the next school year by building their knowledge in core academic subjects, including science, math, English, and social studies. Field trips, outdoor recreation, art projects, interactive workshops, and life skills classes build strong friendships and promote wellness. Alumni of CMAA’s after-school programs are invited to be camp counselors. As counselors and mentors to younger students, alumni volunteers develop their leadership skills while giving back to the program. The Youth Summer Camp runs from June through August, Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 4 pm. Breakfast and lunch are included.
This program serves youth from the K-7th grade residing in the city of Chicago.
After School Matters - Teen Employment
After School Matters (ASM) is a nonprofit organization that provides teens of Chicago public high schools with opportunities to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills for work, college, and beyond. CMAA’s After School Matters program connects teens to paid internships where they implement sports-based programming during the summer and homework help during our after-school program. ASM teens work with CMAA youth to grow their confidence as they navigate new or unfamiliar experiences.
This is a part-time paid internship program for six weeks in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Young Women Warriors
Young Women Warriors is a free, year-round mentorship program that connects girls and young women to mentoring professionals who guide them through their middle school, high school, and early college careers. YWW serves girls and young women from ages 12-22 of all races and ethnicities. YWW works to help our young women succeed academically, professionally, and personally. 100% of our mentees have moved on to higher education, going to schools such as Northwestern, UIC, and UIUC. Mentors and mentees meet twice a month, September to July, for skill development workshops and recreational activities. Workshop topics cover higher education, career growth, financial literacy, public speaking, voting, women’s health, self-defense and safety, self-confidence, and more. Past activities have included ice-skating, Six Flags, laser tag, bowling, haunted houses, and archery.
YWW has worked for over 20 years to serve underserved young women and foster strong, long-lasting support networks of mentors and mentees.
Young Men Making Moves
Young Men Making Moves is a free, year-round mentorship program that connects boys and young men of color to older male professionals of color who can guide them through the academic, professional, social and personal changes in their adolescent lives.
As the brother program to YWW, YMMM was founded in 2017, and in its short existence it has grown immensely, both programs now having similar enrollment sizes and program structures. YMMM serves boys and young men from ages 12-22 of all races and ethnicities. Mentors and mentees meet twice a month, September to July, for skill development workshops and recreational activities. Workshop topics can cover higher education, career growth, financial literacy, job searching, self-defense, dating, entrepreneurship, fitness, and many more. Past activities have included ax-throwing, Six Flags, laser tag, bowling, gaming lounge, go-kart racing, going to the movies, among others.
Through workshops, activities, and retreats, YMMM builds stronger communities and lasting networks of mentors and mentees.
Penny Severns Family Literacy Program
CMAA’s Penny Severns Family Literacy Program provides integrated instruction for immigrant and refugee families in order to improve their English language proficiency. Parents receive English language tutoring and support while also participating in workshops on topics such as children’s health and safety. During classes, children receive instruction in subjects such as literacy and arts & crafts. Parents and children learn and bond together by learning how to use library resources, going on field trips, and engaging in other interactive parent-child activities.
Tiger Tutor
Focusing on affordable, individualized, and high-quality instruction, Tiger Tutor is CMAA's test preparation service. Tiger Tutor provides assistance and test preparation for the ACT, SAT, PSAT, CPS high school selective enrollment exam, and middle school subject-based learning. Tiger Tutor helps students achieve their short and long-term academic and collegiate goals.
To learn more about Tiger Tutor, click here .