Education
and Youth
Development
Empowering Communities. Changing Lives.
Supporting Youth to Become Ready for “College, Work, and Life” While Supporting Family Engagement
It takes the effort of multiple individuals to ensure a child is able to succeed into adulthood. Sometimes extra efforts are needed to provide youths an opportunity to be triumphant in life. The Houston Area Urban League's Education and Youth Development (EYD) services address the need to provide all urban youth, regardless of background, with a significant opportunity. Through our core programs that follow an educational support model and other evidence-based mechanisms, HAUL/EYD works to help urban youth become ready for college, work, and life. Through our efforts, we are building the next generation of leaders, innovators, and community advocates of the 21st century. Getting our students ready for the future is our mission. Most importantly, for many in our programs, this is the opportunity of a lifetime.
SERVICES:
- ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT – students acquire academic skills which lead to high school graduation and college admissions
- SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT – students acquire social and emotional skills which help them contribute positively to society now and as adults
- COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS - students are prepared to succeed in college and their career
Your donation can make the difference. Help us provide urban youth in our communities with the opportunity to grow into triumphant individuals that will transform and elevate the future.
Core Programs
A Formidable Foundation To Acquire Essential Skills in Multiple Developmental Domains
GENLITES (Gaining Early Needed Literacy Information To Excel & Succeed) focuses on enhancing adult knowledge to
- help children acquire learning skills in key developmental domains: social and emotional, language and literacy, cognitive, and motor and physical promoting reading proficiency by the third grade
- improve the reading success of children in the elementary grades
The goal is to provide skills training which can be utilized in home and educational settings which promote positive social development and academic learning. The trainings focus on three major areas: Literacy, Math, and Science.
Making the Transition from Childhood to Adolescence A Little Easier
MIDLITES (Managing Individual Development Leading Into Transitional Education Skills) focus is to increase middle schools students’ college readiness and to assist them in developing life skills that will prepare them for the transition into high school and beyond. Each member will create a high school and college plan that can be utilized during their high school years and beyond. By the end of program services, each MIDLITES participant will be able to transition into NULITES where they will identify and implement strategies for moving their college plan forward and begin developing their career plans.
Encouraging The Youth To Take The Path Towards Lifelong Success After High School
NULITES is (National Urban League Incentives To Excel & Succeed) is designed to reflect the positive aspects of youth in today’s society while providing opportunities for personal and leadership development. By the end of the program, each member will have a college plan, career plan, and personal portfolio that will help them achieve their life’s goals. Participating youth are asked to uphold the seven (7) NULITES Principles, which were created to teach young people the attributes that yield success.
Ensuring Young Adults Finalize Their College Education Successfully
HILITES is designed to support students who have obtained a high school diploma and enrolled in college. College students will obtain supportive resources key for college completion. College and career achievement will be highlighted to inspire children and youth who are GENLITES, MIDLITES, and NULITES.
In 2006, the National Urban League launched Project Ready 2.0 Post-Secondary Success College Access Curriculum, providing a comprehensive approach to addressing the academic and personal needs of youth in the Urban League Movement. Traditional college access programs tend to place greater emphasis on academic skill-building for college, often at the expense of other equally important concerns such as students’ personal and social maturity for college.
In 2010, the National Urban League’s Project Ready: STEM enhancement began offering middle and high school students the academic and experiential support necessary to increase their understanding of, interest in, and opportunities afforded through science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This vital enhancement includes project-based learning, mentoring, and engagement with role models in STEM-related careers and academia.
The Houston Area Urban League (HAUL) recognizes the importance of exposure to STEM college majors and careers, particularly for students of color who are often underrepresented in these fields. Project Ready: STEM at HAUL is structured to offer historically underrepresented students a range of opportunities and support to broaden their participation in STEM.
To address diversity in the STEM training pipeline, HAUL partnered with British Petroleum (BP) and Rice University to deliver an In-School-Time STEM Program for 23 selected 8th-grade students during the 2024–2025 school year at HISD’s Key Middle School.
Led by BP, Rice graduate and HAUL Board Member Charlos Ward, and a Rice STEM professor, the program aligns BP STEM activities with Key Middle School's curriculum to ignite student passion for STEM through real-world applications. The program includes interactive activities, hands-on projects, and guest speakers. Students learn about BP's three business segments—Upstream, Downstream, and Renewables—while building STEM knowledge and career readiness.
These 23 students will continue in the program through high school at HISD Kashmere High. Each year, 23 new 8th-grade students will be selected, ensuring a sustained pipeline of engaged learners. The program promotes critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration skills essential to success in STEM fields.
HAUL and BP remain committed to addressing gaps in the STEM training pipeline through the following efforts:
· - Develop challenging, relevant STEM activities for underrepresented students of color and women
· - Motivate and guide students in building necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes for STEM success
· - Educate students early on college and career opportunities in STEM
· - Support informed decision-making based on awareness of success requirements in STEM careers
· - Prepare students for high school graduation, STEM degrees, and certifications
Family and Community Engagement
It's True: It Takes a Community to Raise The Next Generation
Our Family and Community Engagement program provides skills training for parents and caregivers, where such skills can be utilized in home and educational settings to promote social development and academic learning. The training includes Family Literacy Nights (fun, interactive activity designed to help parents with developing their knowledge, skills, routines and techniques to aid their child’s academic development especially literacy), Parent Trainings, etc.
Summer Programs
Providing Interactive Activities To Promote Educational Development
One of the challenges that parents, teachers, and other stakeholders face is the summer learning loss experienced once students complete a school year. Some of the ways to diminish summer learning loss is by providing engaging activities for students that promote educational and cultural development. Our summer programs provide interactive activities and field trips to build upon their competence, confidence, and character.
Upcoming Events
EYD events empower the youth from various communities throughout the Houston area. These events are possible through your support and your attendance. Spread the word about what HAUL is doing to empower the youth of today by coming to an event that will hopefully provide you with the opportunity to understand the vision that we have for our youth. We hope you will join us. For more information about EYD events, contact us today.
Partner with Us
Our programs are a way to help urban youth obtain an opportunity to succeed in life. Plain and simple. Your support is necessary to provide hope and a chance for a better tomorrow. We welcome you to partner with us in a variety of ways. Whether you are providing a financial donation as an individual, or providing your skills and influence as an organization, you will be doing your part in strengthening our education and youth development services. You can also partner with us by volunteering as a mentor to our youths. They need your guidance and wisdom to assist them in their journey towards professional and personal success. To partner with HAUL and its EYD initiatives, contact us today.
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