Each year in the fall our staff work closely with the youth in our programs to prepare for the upcoming school year. We make sure they have the supplies they need and help them create schedules to balance work and school. During the Covid-19 pandemic we still spent a lot of time preparing for the new year, but our focus looked a bit different. As it probably was for most families, there was a mixture of ordinary and unexpected here at Second Story as we continued through the first half of the school year. Students were still learning and taking classes, but the format was completely new.
During the pandemic we were coordinating more than ever with teachers and schools to ensure that the needs of the youth in our programs were met, as well as checking in to be sure they had everything they need to learn virtually without interruption.
This meant an added level of emotional support, too. One young person, “Baxter,” expressed to his Second Story for Homeless Youth case manager that he had been feeling anxious about graduating on time. Graduation sometimes felt like an ominous, almost unreachable milestone for youth who have experienced homelessness. Many young people in our programs also have other challenges, such as learning disabilities or mental health issues, or learn in an ESL class. For them, this culmination of hurdles can make virtual learning feel extremely challenging.
We were committed to staying the course with youth like Baxter, both advocating for him, as well as equipping him to reach his own goals and reminding him of his potential.
Your help allowed us to support Baxter and the other youth in our programs, seeing them through the school year and all the way to graduation.
