Young Adult Borough Center (YABC)

The Harry S Truman Y.A.B.C. Program prides itself on our mission of connecting with students, providing an avenue of support through counseling, internship, and college advisement, and encouraging students to obtain their high school diploma.  The collaboration between our community based organization (Episcopal Social Services) and the Department of Education has been a key point in our success.  Working hand in hand, we have developed a partnership in which our main goal is to support and promote the integrity of our youth.

The application process involves an interview conducted by a panel of staff who work at the YABC:  Principal, Assistant Principal, Program Coordinator, Guidance Counselor and a Student Advocate Counselor.

Upon acceptance into our program, each student is assigned a Student Advocate Counselor who will monitor their progress in the program, track their daily attendance, and motivate them to succeed.  Student Advocates provide individual counseling services, make outside referrals to community organizations, and conduct home visits when appropriate.  Maintaining parent/guardian involvement is also a key piece to ensuring the success of our students. We also host weekly group sessions with topics ranging from Conflict Resolution & Real World to Young Women & Men’s groups.  The students feel most comfortable speaking to each other in their own forum and are able to learn from each other at their own pace.

To ensure academic success, each student is also assigned a Guidance Counselor who will review their transcript, program their classes and set a target date for graduation.  Students have the opportunity to meet with their guidance counselor as needed to guarantee they remain on the right track.  Guidance counselors typically schedule at least one (1) appointment for each student on their case load per marking period - in other words three (3) times per term.

The teachers that work for our program are passionate about helping every student achieve their goals.  Additional tutoring, extra assignments and individual attention are offered to those students who need it the most.  Additionally, Independent Study classes are offered to those students who desire the challenge - to further accelerate their progress in the program.

In the Learning-to-Work component, our students meet with an Internship Placement Specialist, who will help them find a paid internship suitable to their interests and career goals.  In this area, many of our students also receive assistance in creating or modifying their resume and cover letter.  Students also receive professional development and supervisory coaching to accentuate their skill-sets and employability.  As a result, some of our students have been offered both part-time and full-time employment at their work sites because of their exemplary performance in the Learning-to-Work program.

We believe each of our students has a success story waiting for them and their capacity to succeed in an environment of higher learning.  Therefore, we actively encourage all of our participants to apply for college or a trade school, as a means of continuing their education.  As preparation, we offer SAT Preparation classes to all students; these classes are mandatory for all seniors.  Our students are encouraged to meet with our College & Career Specialist to register for the SAT or ACT exam, apply for financial aid, and receive assistance in completing college applications.  In fact, our community-based partner (ESS) funds the applications of every student who takes the SAT/ACT and one college of their choice.  We also plan college trips and fairs based on student interests and feedback.

Our students have various opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities such as community service projects sponsored by New York Cares, our digital keepsake (yearbook), Student Council, our monthly Newsletter written by their peers and our monthly Town Hall meetings.  If we as a community (parents, teachers, and support staff) continue to work together for the same unified goal, our encouragement will result in a well-rounded New York City high school graduate.

Student Handbook

Bell Schedule

2008-2009 Calendar

Application for Student Council

Fall Registration

Town Meetings

Graduate Spotlight

Student Awards

Workshops

Friday Trips

Events from the Past Year