Wesley-Rankin has responded to the needs of the youth in our community by offering programs that help youth to grow, learn, and be inspired to achieve their full potential. There is a lot of pressure on the youth in our community to drop out of school and to join destructive groups like gangs or to become involved with the use and sale of drugs.

Sometime the pressure is economic. Their families have limited income and they feel the need to help with the short-term needs of their families by getting a job rather than attending school. Other pressures have more of a social focus. Some youth do not have a strong support system to help when things get tough at school. They also do not have many role models of persons in their family and neighborhood who graduated from high school and pursued a college degree.

Inside Out Program
Monday – Thursday, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Wesley-Rankin's core program for youth is the Inside Out Program. Monday through Thursday 35-40 youth gather from 4 to 7 p.m. at the newly renovated Sarah Wilke Youth Center. The participants are adjudicated and at-risk youth ages 14-21. They set and accomplish goals that are either vocational, relational, educational, or civic in nature. The program includes community service projects, tutoring, college preparation, trip to colleges, anger management, individual and family counseling, career development, and job search skills.

Youth receive homework help, tutoring, and other educational activities. Many more activities, as well, are offered to generate their curiosity and interest: instruction in Internet use, guidance in goal-setting, responsible decision making, career exploration field trips, a monthly book club, and guest speakers ranging in topics from personal safety to healthy sexuality. The teens reach out to the community by volunteering for special service projects. This past October they helped put on a Halloween Carnival for elementary-age children and are being advocates for our Neighborhood Watch program. The youth represent Wesley-Rankin through extra-curricular activities such as Hoop-it-Up and dance performances. The youth summer program also provides an opportunity for cultural exchange when visiting youth groups mix with our youth and share their faith and life experiences.

A case manager works with the youth to follow up with the progress of these goals. A counselor meets with families to strengthen healthy relationships. The Latino Coalition provides vital support for every aspect of this program.

Evening Tutoring
For over 15 years, Wesley-Rankin has offered a tutoring program to support the education of youth. This program is offered on Monday through Thursday evenings. Volunteers make a commitment to work one-on-one with a youth for an hour a week at the center.

A central goal of this program is to increase the number of high school graduates in the community. A strong emphasis is placed on reading skills. Volunteers help students to build strong study skills and to identify learning methods that aid students who are struggling with specific types of learning tasks.

Volunteers also build mentoring relationships with students in which students are encouraged to put forth great effort and to celebrate their achievements.

Bridge to College
For the fall term, the Bridge to College program is sponsoring nine students. We have several students that are nearing the end of the college careers and we are proud to be helping create new business leaders, teachers, and positive role models. The scholarships committee not only monitors these students’ academic progress, but also provides an additional source of encouragement through letters and cards. United Methodist Women’s groups and Sunday school classes, too, are encouraged to “adopt” a student. Since program inception seven years ago, ten participants have graduated from college or technical schools.

Compadres and Comadres Mentoring
Since its inception, the vision of this mentoring program has been to teach self-worth to a small group of young men ages 10-15 from the neighborhood. The program has been expanded to include a similar opportunity for young women. These groups meet every second Saturday of the month with adult mentors to discuss life issues, celebrate the heritage of different cultures, and take field trips to museums, college campuses, and military bases.

Summer Day Camp - Youth Age
Youth in grades 6 to 12 are invited to attend our Summer Day Camp. The camp is held from 9am to 3pm on Monday through Thursday. Youth participate in Bible lessons, music, art, recreation, reading, and computer lab time. Volunteers from area churches and Project Transformation Interns lead the camp. It is a time of great fun and learning.

Summer Camp
In early August, youth attend a 5-day Camp at Lake Bridgeport that is led by a team from Project Transformation. The camp is specifically designed for youth from urban settings. All youth receive a full scholarship to attend this camp.

For many of the youth, this is their first time away from home. The activities at camp are geared toward team building and skill development. Activities include horseback riding, archery, dance, mountain biking, high and low ropes challenge course, theater, art, vocal music, Frisbee golf, swimming, volleyball, football, basketball, and others. Each evening includes a theme activity such as a luau or scavenger hunt along with a spiritual message. The Urban Camp is staffed by Project Transformation summer and alumni interns.

Mountain Biking Trip
During the summer, youth are invited to participate in a Trips for Kids mountain biking trip. Youth are paired with mentors who encourage actions that benefit both the youth and their community. There are opportunities to focus on physical health, environmental education, team building, and spiritual development.