Learn about and complete an application for LEAP's Leaders In Training Program for 13 to 15 year olds. Leaders in Training (LITs) Leaders In Training (LITs) support senior and junior counselors by volunteering with younger children. They also get their own unique age-appropriate programming which includes academic support, health education, community service, and job exploration. what who LEAP's LIT program (afterschool and summer) program is available for teens ages 13 to 15. Unlike the children's program, LITs can come from any New Haven neighborhood. LITs receive a small stipend and many advance into other positions at LEAP, including Junior Counselors and Swim Instructors. The after-school program operates Monday-Thursday from 3 pm - 7 pm. The summer program is Monday-Friday from 8 am - 3 pm. During the school year, the LIT program is held at LEAP’s Community Center (31 Jefferson St., New Haven, CT 06511) when & where Look Below for our Application Form! For 13-Year-Old Leaders in Training: Understanding Your Stipend Thirteen-year-old participants in the Leaders in Training (LIT) program will receive their program stipend at the completion of each program component, rather than through weekly payments. This structure ensures that your dedication throughout the entire component is recognized and rewarded upon successful completion. For 14 & 15-Year-Old Leaders in Training: Internship Compensation & Onboarding Process Participants who are 14 or 15 years old will be compensated for their internship experience. Payments are directly tied to attendance and engagement in the program. Please note: payment will only be provided for time spent actively participating. If a participant does not attend scheduled sessions, they will not be paid for those missed hours. Onboarding for 14 & 15-Year-Olds: Meeting with Finance To finalize your enrollment and discuss payment procedures, parents/guardians of 14 and 15-year-old LITs are required to schedule an onboarding meeting with our finance department. Please use our online scheduler here to book your appointment. What to Bring to Your Onboarding Appointment: Please click here for a list of items you will need to bring to your onboarding appointment. Summer Program 2025 To apply for the LIT program, you must be between the ages of 13 and 15. The hours of operation will be Monday through Thursday from 8 a m to 3 pm and Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm. We operate out of one location: LEAP Community Center, 31 Jefferson Street, New Haven, CT Dates Progra mming: June 23rd - August 1st Parent Meeting: Parent meeting will be held on (TBD) and is held for ACCEPTED LITs only. We will communicate the dates and location when your child has their interview and is formally accepted into our spring programming. Required Documents: Full completed application including essay Action plan - signed by a doctor and a legal guardian (action plan is only needed if LIT had asthma with inhaler or allergies with Epipen) Disclaimer Notice : Submission of your application does not mean your child has been fully accepted. Acceptance will be confirmed via phone call by our Youth Development Leadership Team within 72hrs of submission. Please note that you will not be fully enrolled into the program until you submit the physical and Insurance ID documents. If you would like to complete an application for the program, please scroll down to the bottom of the page. You will be contacted by a member of our staff once we have received your application. Thank you! Watch this video to learn more about LEAP's LIT program! Application OPEN Ver en español

LEAP trains and employs college and high school students to provide academic and social enrichment and mentoring after school and during the summer for children and teens in New Haven neighborhoods. Kids access swimming, gardening, camping, computer science, dance, music, and so much more. Register for our Children's Summer Camp Program! APPLY CREATING A NEW HAVE N FOR OUR CHILDREN L eadership E ducation & A thletics in P artnership We teach children how to learn and young adults how to lead. Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership, Inc. (LEAP) was founded in 1992 by educators, students, and community activists to address the historic disinvestment in young people of color in our city. In our two community centers and seven neighborhood-based sites, we provide children with a welcoming place to learn, explore and grow, while offering teens and young adults a platform to find their voice and become leaders and role models. College and high school student counselors teach younger students in literacy, the arts, and athletics. Check Out Our Programs! After-School Program LEARN MORE Summer Program LEARN MORE Leaders in Training LEARN MORE Swimming Program LEARN MORE LEAP Bulletin Board Dive into Summer Fun with LEAP's FREE Program - Starts June 23rd! Get ready for an exciting summer with LEAP's FREE Summer Program, running from June 23rd to August 1st ! We offer a fantastic opportunity for kids to learn, grow, and have tons of fun right here in New Haven. Imagine overnight camping trips , exploring new horizons with field trips in and around the city , and engaging in enriching activities led by our amazing facilitators. Every child in our program also gets to enjoy swimming! All completely free! APPLY HERE Sign up for FREE Classes at the Q House! Enhance your creativity, physical health, and skill development at the Q House! They offer a range of FREE classes and workshops, from ceramics and art to music production and yoga; there's something for everyone! Unleash your artistic side, harmonize your tunes, or find your zen – all without any cost. Explore, learn, and thrive at the Dixwell Q House’s inclusive and enriching environment. Click here to sign up today! LEAP is one of four CT Nonprofits to Receive the $2 million Open Call Yield Giving Award! LEAP is honored to be among the 361 organizations chosen from over 6,000 applicants to receive a $2 million gift from MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving. This prestigious award recognizes our deep commitment to the young people of New Haven and will powerfully fuel our mission. Learn more here ! Featured Videos All About LEAP LEAP's Summer Program 2022 Support our programs! We are thankful for all of the support that help us keep LEAP running and serve New Haven's youth. SUPPORT

LEAP staff members are committed to children, experienced in youth programming, and diverse. Meet our Staff Executive Leadership Henry Fernandez Executive Director hfernandez@leapforkids.org Children's & Youth Development Programs Team Yakeita Robinson Chief of Staff yrobinson@leapforkids.org Stefanie Vargas Deputy Director of Programs svargas@leapforkids.org Tina Sapiente Deputy Chief of Staff tsapiente@leapforkids.org Chance Jackson Director of Children's Program cjackson@leapforkids.org Nikilia Reid Director of Programs nreid@leapforkids.org Chantalle Martin Clinical Coordinator cmartin@leapforkids.org Jahvon Soto Fair Haven South Site Coordinator jsoto@leapforkids.org Daikichi Washington Fair Haven West Site Coordinator dwashington@leapforkids.org Darcus Henry Dixwell Site Coordinator dhenry@leapforkids.org Edwin Caro Quinnipiac Meadows Site Coordinator ecaro@leapforkids.org Emiya Pearse Newhallville Site Coordinator epearse@leapforkids.org Paris Jones Youth Development Coordinator pjones@leapforkids.org Elvert Eden Aquatics Manager eeden@leapforkids.org Ramon Lockman Interim Hill South Site Coordinator rlockman@leapforkids.org Justin Short Interim Dwight-Kensington Site Coordinator jshorts@leapforkids.org Curriculum & Training Team Summer Choate-Lewis Director of Curriculum & Training schoate@leapforkids.org Jesse Delia Director of Community Initiatives jdelia@leapforkids.org Kayla Penza Curriculum & Training Coordinator kpenza@leapforkids.org Counselor Development Team Maithé Ulloa Counselor Development Manager mulloa@leapforkids.org Aysia Reese Counselor Development Coordinator areese@leapforkids.org Jadah Smith Counselor Development Coordinator jsmith@leapforkids.org Alexis Christy Academic Success Coordinator achristy@leapforkids.org Development & Communications Team Rachel Kline Brown Director of Development & Communications rklinebrown@leapforkids.org Jubetsy Minaya-Pérez Deputy Director of Development & Communications jminaya@leapforkids.org Ruofan Chen Database Analyst & Prospect Researcher rchen@leapforkids.org Eliana Arroyo Development Coordinator earroyo@leapforkids.org Melissa Liriano Communications Coordinator mliriano@leapforkids.org Michaela Seales Grant Writer mseales@leapforkids.org Finance Team Shadine Alveranga Managing Director of Finance salveranga@leapforkids.org Tamia Scott Finance Coordinator tscott@leapforkids.org Q House Team Yakeita Robinson Director of the Dixwell Community Q House yrobinson@leapforkids.org Angelina Campos Deputy Director of Dixwell Community Q House acampos@leapforkids.org Kaussar Rahman Executive Advisor and Assistant for the Dixwell Community Q House Advisory Board and LEAP Grants Manager krahman@leapforkids.org Office Operations Team Marvin Parker Maintenance Associate mparker@leapforkids.org Robin Williams Receptionist rwilliams@leapforkids.org

Want to volunteer at LEAP? Maybe your business or school group is looking for a volunteer opportunity? Or possibly, you are a student looking to intern? Learn more here. 2025 Read-In on the Green LEAP's Annual Read-In On the Green Date: Friday, July 11th, 2025, 10:00am -11:15am *The Read-In is happening rain or shine : The location will change if there is rain. If you have already signed up to volunteer, please keep an eye out in your email inbox for updates about alternative plans in the case of inclement weather.* Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Read-In! Sign up to be a volunteer here! Extra, extra... read all about it! The Read-In on the Green is here! Join us for a day of literacy, laughs, and learning. It will take place on Friday, July 11th from 10:00am to 11:15am. During this time, volunteers will read to a small group of children, engage in LEAP cheers, and most of all, inspire a love of reading in the children! Volunteers will receive a small token of our appreciation after the event! See more information on the postcard below! Reach out to rsvp@leapforkids.org with questions.

Staff Only Leap 2020

At Home Educational Activities The New Haven Public Schools are providing packets for kids to do school work from home. But that may still leave a lot of time in the day when we kids can be doing fun learning activities. Here are some options: If your child is in LEAP and needs some help with their homework, do not hesitate to contact their counselors or site coordinator via phone or email. Site coordinators can be emailed through the About/Staff section of this website. Scholastic offers activities for children from pre-K through grades 6 and up. The American Federation of Teachers has a wealth of resources to help with learning at home from Pre-K through high school. They also have materials on social-emotional learning and an online discussion community for people to share ideas, lesson plans, and resources. This is a resource that is useful for educators and community youth workers. The New Haven Free Public Library has a wonderful list of free activities, including many that do not require a library card. The State Department of Education and educational consultants in English, Social Studies, Science and Math have gathered resources for families to support their children’s learning. These resources and materials are broken down by grade level (Pre-K through 12th grade). Khan Academy has a variety of rich educational resources and video lessons that parents, teachers, and students can use to structure each day of learning in core subjects and offer introductions to new topics not typically taught in school. Khan Academy is also offering free PSAT and SAT test prep materials and lessons. Attached you will find activities to do at home, courtesy of New Haven Park and Recreations Department. Check out this Calendar of Virtual Field Trips . See the Louvre in France, Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, or Polar Bears in the Tundra! The Calendar is from April/May but the trips have not expired. Sportsometry is helping 2nd-4th graders with math homework Gather New Haven has compiled online resources for students focused on the natural environment and science. Internet Needs Talking to Kids about COVID-19 Medical Needs COVID-19 Updates Food & Unemployment Free Online Books At Home Activities LEAP Activity Videos

Children's Afterschool Program Application (ages 7 to 12) Please note that when you are done filling out the application, you must click Submit Form at the end of the application. You cannot save the form and return to it. Afterschool Program Application Spring 2025 Dates: January 27th to May 8th *Application does not automatically save. When you complete the form, you must press SUBMIT FORM at the end. If you refresh or leave this page, any entered information will be lost.*

LEAP is a great place to work! Here you can find all the resource guides and forms you will need to fill out prior to beginning work. New Hire Information Welcome to LEAP! We are so excited you're joining us! Please see the following resources below for new hire required trainings and forms to complete prior to beginning your work with LEAP. Forms Instructions: Please fill out the Federal W-4 Form, I-9 form, and the CT W-4 form to let us know how to handle your taxes and to show the federal government that you can work in the United States. Please sign and print out these completed three forms and bring them with you to LEAP on your first day. If you do not have access to a printer, you can print these forms at LEAP and fill them out on your first day. You can also email signed and completed pdfs of the forms to payroll@leapforkids.org. Please DO NOT send your tax forms to the counselor development team. 1 Direct Depo sit Form LEAP pays everyone by direct deposit, so you will need a bank account and we need your account information. If you do not have a bank account, please open one. If you do not know how to do so, we are happy to explain. Please email the finance office at payroll@leapforkids.org or the counselor development office at froman@leapforkids.org with any questions. You will need to set up a direct deposit through your bank account or set up a bank account if you do not already have one. Please note, that we do not ac cept Cash App or any online banking apps. ADP only recognizes actual banks. We need an electronic routing number. A routing number is a nine-digit code used by banks to identify other financial institutions. You can find your electronic routing number and your account number by logging into your online banking or by calling your bank. You r account number is not the same as your card number. You have the option to split your direct deposit between yo ur checking and savings account. It can be split 50/50, 70/30, or 20/80; however, you want but it must add up to 100%. 2 Federal W -4 Form The federal W-4 form is used to compute federal income tax. Please find the federal W-4 form here . 3 I-9 The federal government requires that you provide certain documents to prove you can work. On page 3 of the I-9 form is a list of required documents. Due to the rules of the I-9 Form, the Finance Department is required to physically inspect ID's. Please come with your ID's to the office. Please review this list and bring the required documents with you on the first day. Please find the I-9 form here . 4 CT W-4 Form The CT W-4 form is used to compute state income tax. Please find the CT W-4 form here. Questions? Please contact the finance department at payroll@leapforkids.org or the counselor development team at mulloa@leapforkids.org with any questions or concerns. Trainings Sexual Harassment and Mandated Reporter Training We are required to provide staff and interns with Sexual Harassment and Mandated Reporting Trainings in accordance with Connecticut. The state has imposed inclusive mandatory training. Since COVID, these resources are now available online from the state of Connecticut in the form of videos and questions and answers developed by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. In total, both courses are about 3 hours to complete. At the end, you will be emailed a certificate of completing the Sexual Harassment. Please have this email to the Finance Department at payroll@leapforkids.org . If you are experiencing any trouble or have any questions, feel free to email payroll@leapforkids.org . If you are unable to access your certificates, please take a clear screenshot of the final page including your name & date, and email it to payroll@leapforkids.org . Please click here to find the link to the sexual harassment training. Please click here to find the link to the mandated reporter training. Guides Click on the image on the left to download the full onboarding guide. This document is meant to help you fill out the necessary new hire forms. Onboarding Guide ADP Registration Guide What is ADP? ADP is a payroll software that LEAP uses. Click on the image on the left to download the full registration guide. ADP Walk Through Here is an instructional video on how to use ADP. Filling Out ADP Timesheets Here is a brief instructional video on how to fill out your ADP timesheet. 2025 Payroll Pay Schedule Click on the image to the left to view the fiscal year pay schedules.

Learn about and apply for the afterschool program for kids ages 7 to 12. Afterschool Children's Program LEAP's afterschool program combines homework assistance with extra reading and activities, including athletics, arts, computer science, cooking, and gardening. All programs are overseen by an experienced site coordinator with trained counselor pairs drawn from local colleges and high schools. LEAP's afterschool program is free for participants. what who LEAP's afterschool program is available for children ages 7 to 12 who live in one of our six neighborhoods (what matters is where the child lives, not where he or she goes to school): Dixwell Newhallville Fair Haven The Hill Dwight-Kensington (including West River) Quinnipiac Meadows The program operates after school Monday-Thursday from 3 pm - 6 pm. LEAP operates in six neighborhoods at these local sites (find more info below): Dixwell Newhallville Fair Haven North Fair Haven South Hill South Dwight-Kensington Quinnipiac Meadows when & where Apply for our Spring 2025 Program Here! Application in English Aplicación en Español 2025 Spring Component Information Our in-person programs will include: LEAP groups will meet in schools and community spaces to complete homework, engage in literacy activities, and have fun projects including arts, sports, dance, computer learning, and community walks. Start Date and Times: The program will begin Monday, January 27th, and will end Thursday, May 8th. It will run from 3pm to 6pm Mondays through Thursdays. If your child is not feeling well or someone in your house has COVID-19 symptoms, please keep your child home. If there is someone who is vulnerable to COVID-19 in your household (for instance a senior citizen or someone whose immune system is compromised), then it may not make sense for your child to participate in our in-person program. If you participated in LEAP's after-school program in Fall 2024, you do not need to submit a new application. Please let your Site Coordinator know that your child will be returning in the Spring. Please only submit another application if you have new or updated personal information. Important LEAP Dates and Closures for Children’s Programming Spring 2025 ● January 21st-24th -Leap Counselor Training ● January 27th - First Day of Spring Leap Programming ● February 5th - No LEAP (Report Card Night: K-8) ● February 17th-18th - No LEAP (Break) ● February 27th - No LEAP ● March 19th - No LEAP (Half Day) ● March 31st - No LEAP (Eid al-Fitr) ● April 14th-18th - No LEAP (April Break) ● May 8th - Last Day of Spring LEAP Programming Dixwell Site Coordinator: Darcus Henry Jr. School Operating Site: Wexler-Grant School Newhallville Site Coordinator: Emiya Pearse School Operating Site: King-Robinson Inter-District Magnet School Fair Haven North Site Coordinator: Daikichi Washington School Operating Site: Clinton Avenue School Fair Haven South Site Coordinator: Jahvon Soto School Operating Site: Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration Hill South Site Coordinator: Jadah Smith School Operating Site: Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy Dwight-Kensington Site Coordinator: Dezhane Downing School Operating Site: Augusta-Lewis Troup School Quinnipiac Meadows Site Coordinator: Edwin Caro School Operating Site: Ross Woodward School Site Information Check out our some of our other programs!

Thinking about making a donation to LEAP, or maybe you already are a donor? Either way, this page is for you. You can make a donation and learn about a range of ways to give now and in the future. Give to LEAP LEAP is a non-profit organization and all of our programs are free of charge. We rely on donors like you to carry out our mission. Every dollar you give to LEAP creates new and amazing opportunities for a child or teen. Donations are 100% secure and tax-deductible. Our Impact To view LEAP's financial documents and learn more about our funding challenges Financial Information To view LEAP's financial documents and learn more about our funding challenges Reasons to Donate To learn more about why donating to LEAP matters now more than ever Planned Giving Options To learn more about ways to make a planned gift to LEAP and how to join the LEAP Legacy Society Donor Privacy Policy: LEAP does not share, sell or trade our donors' names or other personal information with any other entity, nor do we contact our donors on behalf of other organizations. Information for Donors Donate Today You can make a secure online donation by credit card, wallet, or direct debit to support academic and social enrichment for New Haven youth. If you want to dedicate your gift to a friend or relative, p lease click "One-time donation" and check the box "I would like to dedicate this gift." If you want us to notify someone about your donation, please check the box "I would like someone to receive communication about this gift," and we will inform them accordingly. Please be advised that our payment processing partner, Blackbaud, includes a pre-selected, automatically checked option to add a 10% contribution to their services during the transaction process. This contribution supports the maintenance and development of their platform. However, this is entirely voluntary and not required to complete your donation. To opt out of this contribution, uncheck the corresponding box on the payment form. Thank you for your support! Donate Become a Sustaining Donor Monthly recurring gifts provide steady, reliable support. Donate Donate by Mail Send your check to LEAP, 31 Jefferson Street, New Haven, CT 06511 . Donations can be made payable to "LEAP." Give Appreciated Stock Support LEAP through the gift of an appreciated asset. Please notify Rachel Kline Brown (rklinebrown@leapforkids.org ) what is being transferred including the number of shares and who the donor is. Donations go to Firm Name: Fidelity Investments DTC: 0226 Account #: 657-221430 Account Name: LDRSHP, EDU, & ATH IN PRTNRSHP Make a Planned Gift & Join LEAP's Legacy Society Remember LEAP in your estate plan for a specific dollar amount or percentage. By doing so, you will become a member of the LEAP legacy society. More Info Give Through a Donor Advised Fund If you have a donor advised fund, DAF Direct enables you to recommend grants to LEAP, directly from your DAF (sponsoring organizations are Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or BNY Mellon ). Simply click here go to our personalized Donor Advised Fund page. Once there, you can select the institution, the designation (how the funds should be used) and the amount of the gift. When you click the “Next” button, you will be taken directly to your donor advised fund provider. If your donor-advised fund provider is not listed, contact your provider directly with a request to make a grant to LEAP. LEAP's Tax ID Number: 22-2906547 More Info Other questions? Contact Rachel at rklinebrown@leapforkids.org

Food, Rent & Unemployment Rent Assistance Unite CT Rental Assistance for Connecticut's Economy Have you been financially impacted by COVID-19? Are you struggling to pay your rent and utilities? Apply for UniteCT, a rental assistance program supporting CT residents who earn up to 80% of the HUD Area Media Income and their landlords. You may qualify for the opportunity to receive missed electric outstanding payments and/or missed rent or future rent payments. To learn more and see if you qualify, visit www.bit.ly/UniteCT Asistencia de Emergencia Para Renta por la Economía de Connecticut Ha sido impactado finanieramente por el COVID-19? No le alcanza para pagar su renta y servicios básicos? Solicite ayuda con UniteCT, un programa de asistencia de renta, ayundando a residentes de CT con un ingreso de hasta el 80% de Ingreso Medio del Área (HUD) y a los dueños de propiedades. Usted puede calificar para esta oportunidad y recibir pagos para facturas astrasadas de luz y pagos para facturas atrasadas de renta. Para más información y saber si califica, visite: www.bit.ly/UniteCT Get Access to Food With many parents being laid off because of COVID-19, and school being closed, it is important to make sure children and adults still have access to nourishing meals. Breakfast and Hot lunches available to all New Haven Public School Students 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday-Friday. Parents or guardians may pick up meals for their students to take home and the Student Number and Lunch Number will be needed for pick up. This document includes all of the pickup addresses. The best one-stop for information on getting food is the City of New Haven's food website . Food for people of all ages can be picked up from food pantries but it can be hard to know which food pantries are open. This list of when food is being distributed and where is updated regularly. Unemployment & Public Benefits CT has expanded access to Unemployment Insurance (UI) for COVID-19 related furloughs, layoffs and hour cutbacks. They have also extended UI to school employees who would not otherwise be covered in the summers and school vacations. There is no wait time to get benefits. For more information, click here. To apply for Temporary Family Assistance (cash assistance), Medicaid, SNAP or other benefits, visit the Connecticut Department of Social Services benefit application page . While Temporary Family Assistance recipients often are required to have an in-person meeting for recertification, this has been waived by Governor Lamont. Call the DSS Client Information Line and Benefits Center at 1-855-6-CONNECT (1-855-626-6632) and follow the prompts for the information you need. Student loan borrowers with federal loans will be able to suspend their federal student loan payments without penalty and without accruing interest for at least 60 days. Borrowers who have federally held loans will have to make a request of their loan servicers/lenders over the phone or online. Through their new "Q & A Blog Series" written by Connecticut Voices for Children's Distinguished Senior Fellow Shelley Geballe, J.D., M.P.H., Connecticut Voices for Children will be providing descriptions of, and updates about, government programs that can help you and your family survive the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog will start with an overview of federal and state programs that help parents and other workers who suddenly find themselves out of work, sick with the virus, or needing to care for others who are ill, or to care for their children because schools are closed. If your income has fallen or been cut off completely, The New York Times is here to help. This guide will connect you to the basic information you’ll need to get through this, including on government benefits, free services and financial strategies. This document from a local mutual aid network connects to a form for community members to share the needs they have and/or skills and resources they can offer in public or private formats so they can receive support from their neighbors. Mutual aid networks allow for greater reliance on community resources especially when there is a delay in government resources tha t can quickly serve community needs. LEAP Counselors compiled the following helpful documents Information and resources for communities : Unemployment Insurance, TFA, Tax Assistance, Property Tax Relief, State & Federal Benefit Programs, and more. CT Resources : Emotional Support Helpline, Food Resources, and Utilities. New Haven Covid Resources: Craft Ideas, Partner Resource Contact List, Food Assistance and more. Internet Needs Talking to Kids about COVID-19 Medical Needs COVID-19 Updates Food & Unemployment Free Online Books At Home Activities LEAP Activity Videos

Hear from the people most impacted by LEAP in these testimonials. Testimonials “These past years at LEAP taught me to be self-seeking, determined, and how to be a leader. My long term plan is to work with kids as a physician assistant, and LEAP taught me how to work with kids.” As a Junior Counselor at LEAP, Kimberly received the Stiefel Williams Family Scholarship and Jay Bovilsky Scholarship. She attends Johnson and Wales University. KIMBERLY ANIVEA “We do math games so we could go back to school and be smarter than we were the other year. When I was at school I used to get a lot of math questions wrong but now that we do math games, I know how to do them.” Anivea has participated in LEAP during both the summer and the school year, and is excited to become a Leader in Training. “The main things I took from LEAP were social interaction skills and then whatever topics my counselors were teaching us at the time. Being a Junior Counselor and Senior Counselor, I gained a lot of motivation and saw how much work is put into working with the kids. I was tasked with educating the kids and planning lessons and I realized how many things go into making a kid a kid and keeping them on the right track.” Darnell is majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Gateway Community College. He started LEAP at 7 years old, went through the Children's Program and was a Junior Counselor before becoming a Senior Counselor. DARNELL WILLIAM “LEAP changed me to be good. When I wasn’t in LEAP I used to mess around and get in trouble but now it's helping me not get in trouble and get As and Bs. When I was in [the Children's Program] my counselor and I had a really good relationship. We used to have fun a lot and we had some of the same issues and obstacles to face. He helped me because he would tell me that whenever I need a break I could just tell him and I could go walk around.” William has been a part of LEAP since he was 7 years old. His favorite activity is swimming and his favorite LEAP memory is of him and his friends dancing at Community Day. “My favorite part of LEAP is that we do a lot of fun trips and I can meet new friends and I can go here to feel like myself. LEAP has taught me to be respectful to others and treat people the way you want to be treated.” Tarique's favorite parts of LEAP have been Community Day, the camping trip and his visits to the art gallery. He wants to be an inventor when he grows up. TARIQUE KAYLA “LEAP taught me about my culture and to love myself for who I am. LEAP also taught me the importance of giving back to my community. Shout out to Ms. Keita – My site coordinator when I was a LEAP kid!” As a Junior Counselor at LEAP, Kayla received the Regina Winters Scholarship and the Jay Bovilsky Scholarship. She attends Howard University. “My favorite book I’ve read at LEAP is a history book about the Titanic and how it sunk. I liked it because it didn’t just say the Titanic sunk, it actually gave facts about what was on the Titanic, how many passengers were saved, how many passengers weren’t saved.” Jeremiah's favorite part of LEAP is doing community service. Jeremiah likes science, math and reading, and wants to be an artist when he grows up. JEREMIAH (left) DARIUS “Before LEAP I was very reserved, I was more of a follower, and I would let people dictate what I did. Now, as a counselor, I find myself being more vocal. People come to me with questions about anything, not just about the program, but about life in general. This growth is something I can attribute to LEAP and is what anyone who steps through these doors can expect to get.” Darius is a senior counselor at LEAP, and was previously a Junior Counselor and Leader in Training. He attends Central Connecticut State University and is studying Journalism. “I like science because I get to explore new things and I get to learn about different chemicals and stuff. LEAP teaches me how to share and just explore new things” Danasia's favorite part about LEAP was her trip to the Connecticut Science Museum in Hartford. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up. DANASIA In our 31 years, LEAP has worked with over 10,000 youth! Here's what some of our alumni had to say. “LEAP offered such a solid foundation for me as a social worker and manager in Chicago. The training and network of LEAP is amazing! LEAP offered me so much just as a counselor. I learned key values like being passionate, modeling, working tirelessly for a cause, and leadership skills that have aided me in every position since I worked for LEAP.” Christy Beighe-Byrne, Center Director at Chicago Youth Services and former LEAP Senior Counselor and Statewide Director of LCLC, involved from 1992-2002 “I was born and raised in a low-income situation. If it weren't for LEAP, I would not have been exposed to things that show that life expands beyond CT. I still have close friends that I met in ‘93 that were in my group. Being a counselor shaped my desire to become a part of the growth for our community and to teach others. There's so much credit that I can give to LEAP and what it's done to put me in the position that I'm in today. LEAP helped me with self-awareness and leadership skill-enhancement, giving me the ability to speak and work well with others at all levels." Mo Edwards, New Haven firefighter, former LEAP child, Junior Counselor, Senior Counselor, and Assistant Site Coordinator of Dwight-Kensington, involved from 1993-2008 “LEAP taught me how to interact with people, how to be a leader, listener, problem solver and teammate! It's still the best job I have ever held. Working in the community to bring children and families closer together developed a sense of pride that I take with me everywhere I travel. The whole time I thought I was doing something for the kids and it turned out that they did more for my development than I probably did for theirs. My old senior counselor is still one of my best friends! LEAP for life!” Anonymous, Former counselor and staff in New London from 1995-2000 "I learned a lot during my time at LEAP -- both during training and during work! Living at Church St. South was a special experience and I carry the memories of my girls and their families with me all the time!" Margot Anderson, Pediatric Hospitalist at Tulane Medical School and former LEAP Senior Counselor 1993-1994 "LEAP was a life changing experience for me. Before LEAP I was going to major in Anthropology. After LEAP I changed my major to psychology and started the path to becoming an educator, eventually receiving my Masters in Education from Harvard. LEAP taught me the importance of really being a part of the community that you serve. When I became a teacher in Brooklyn, I chose to live on the same block as my school. This was directly because of LEAP. I made life long friends at LEAP, and even met my husband there, when we were working as counselors the summer of 1995. I still stay in contact via Facebook with several of my LEAP kids. It's nice to see them doing well." Michele Stein, Head Start Program Manager and LEAP Senior Counselor 1995-1997