LEI High School Programs

LIDER is an empowering after-school program designed to engage Worcester Public Schools high schoolers and their families in activities that have as the ultimate goal facilitating access to higher education. The program offers a range of valuable resources, including dual enrollment/early college courses at WSU for credit, college readiness workshops, college open house visits, campus tours, mentoring, and assistance with the college access process. LIDER’s primary aim is to increase Latinx students’ enrollment in colleges and universities by providing crucial support and knowledge, thereby breaking down barriers and demystifying the college application and enrollment process for Latinx families. 

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“It was something very new, which I’m glad I took. I like the people I met and definitely opened my mind more and enlightened me with more information on college education and how to prepare for college.”

—Ashley Gonzalez, 2023

Youth Civics Union (YCU) is a small group, youth-led, action-team and after-school leadership program which increases student achievement and post-graduation readiness through education policy advocacy, health, and social and emotional support at school and in the community. The program aims to amplify youth voices and foster self and group discovery around topics of racism, class, and privilege, particularly as they relate to education. The program is facilitated by college-aged and LEI community partners. It also includes planned workshops that cover self-expression and positive cultural identity, leadership and team building, and policies and social structures that may be affecting their educational experience. 

YCU uses Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) to involve students in an empirical  research project on an issue they want to investigate and would like to solve  in their community. Under YPAR, students identify a problem in their community, collect qualitative and quantitative data from secondary sources about the issue, define a research question, identify the methods and research tools they need to answer the question, collect primary data, analyze results, and report findings.

The program concludes with a Youth Summit, where the students share their collective findings and activities with youth from Worcester and nearby areas, community members, elected officials and their families promoting collaboration and collective efforts for positive change.

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“My experience at YCU has been excellent. I have made many great memories as well as I have learned a lot. At YCU it feels like a second family. It brightens up the week, especially with the stress of school. Our main topic for YCU this year was mental health. It was very interesting and the discussions we had and the work we did meant something.”

—Jacob Hainsworth, 2023

“My experience in YCU has been eye-opening. While at YCU I have been introduced to many new opportunities, places, and people as well as other youth organizations. I always feel welcomed at YCU and have made lifetime memories in this program. YCU empowers me because it gives me and other youths the power to cause change and raise a voice about issues that are important and relevant to us.”

—Sadaqat Khan, 2023