Impact Youth, UECDC’s education focused after school and summer program, provides academic and positive development support to more than 150 K-12 students annually at the Reverend E. F. Quality of Life Learning Center.

During the school year, the Impact Youth after-school program runs M-F,2:30PM-5:30PM, concurrent with the Erie School District calendar. In addition to homework assistance and tutoring, Impact offers hands-on, structured enrichment activities including an elementary and middle school STEM program, leadership development, soccer and cultural dance. There are four teams of UECDC Impact students playing in the Erie Premier Sports Winter youth League. Our computer lab was upgraded in 2017 with 30 new Windows 10 computers which students use for school work, educational games, and to research and apply for jobs.

Students age 14-18 complete employment and soft-skills training which allow them to compete in the workforce. They receive one-on-one college and career advice through consultations with an on-staff career developer. Students are provided with SAT/ACT help, guidance in the college search process, and help writing/editing scholarship essays. 38 current high school students are enrolled in the online On-Track program, which assists students in navigating their post-secondary choices and college planning, including financial aid and scholarship applications. During the summer, Impact operates for 7 weeks as well, for 4 hours per day doing the same activities as above with the exception of homework assistance.

Other activities include STEM mentoring, arts and crafts, sports, field trips, and community service.

Academic Support/STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

• Daily homework assistance and tutoring
• Bricks 4 Kids Lego STEM
• Science Day in collaboration with Behrend, Gannon, Edinboro, Mercyhurst, LECOM, and area employers to offer hands-on learning experiences across a multitude of science disciplines
• Math skill building with Make 24 math game – student competitions

Environmental Education

• Rain Garden to mitigate flooding on the property
• Environmental clean-ups with discussion on the Lake Erie Watershed – McDannel Run
• George Washington Carver Community Garden – raised beds on site

Equity and Inclusion Education

• Each year 40+ students ages 12-18 participate in the annual Walking in Black History trip to various cities and important historical sites in the Civil Rights Movement in southern cities including Selma, Montgomery, and Birmingham, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington D.C.
• Tuskegee Airmen Rise Above Exhibit- Most years, UECDC brings a traveling exhibit about the first African-American pilots in the U.S. military to Erie

Arts/Culture

• Dance for Peace contemporary African Dance—girls ages 5-18 and teen boys showcase modern African dance in exhibitions and dance performances throughout Erie
• Cultural Arts Projects including collaborative murals
• Attend programs at the Erie Art Museum

Teen Employment Training

• Students 14+ participate in workshops related to resume-building, soft-skills training, interviews, and job search/job applications
• Community service as an experience builder

College Readiness

• Constant focus on on-time graduation, college exposure through trip to local schools, and academic support for every grade
• Juniors and seniors receive help studying for the SAT/ACT, college search process, applying to schools, and scholarship search/application
• High school students participate in On-Track online post-secondary prep

Athletic Skills

• Participation in Indoor Soccer League with Erie Premier Sports with 4 teams; First and Second place in league trophies awarded to our teams in 2017 and 2018
• Outdoor running and exercise programs

Summer Program – Six weeks in July & August, 11AM-3PM, free lunch through IU5/USDA

• Literacy support
• Basic ESL for students who are very new to the US – spend 2+ hours/week on basic words with multi-lingual staff and student volunteers
• Cultural dance and games
• Outdoor exercise and sports
• Workforce development with high school seniors including program assistants and Summer JAM program enrollment