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Revision as of 04:15, 31 March 2010 by Kausticgirl (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Latino Youth Alternative High School (LYAHS) was established in 1974 as a program of Latino Youth, Inc. to address the problem of high dropout rates among Latino youth in the Pilsen/Little Village community.
History
Latino Youth, Inc. started operating in a neighborhood storefront providing substance abuse prevention services to local community members. With the vision of expanding services to youths in need of a "second chance" of obtaining a high school diploma, Latino Youth, Inc. purchased a property at 2200 S. Marshall Boulevard in Chicago that became Latino Youth Alternative High School.
For over 30 years, the organization provided an array of social and educational services to over 5,000 students and their families each year. Facing financial hardship the high school was acquired by another community non-profit, Pilsen Wellness Center, in 2005 and moved to it's current location at 2001 S. California Avenue. The philosophy of Latino Youth Alternative High School is to facilitate the development of students to make holistic choices about their lives, participate in a democratic community, and contribute back to their community and school.
Notable Persons
Sandra Cisneros - is an American writer best known for her acclaimed first novel The House on Mango Street and a former teach at Latino Youth.
Jose Rico - Senior Advisor to the Deputy of Elementary and Secondary Education and former science teacher at Latino Youth.
Daniel Solis - is the alderman of Chicago's 25th ward and a co-founder of Latino Youth. Alderman Solis is also the co-founder and Executive Director of the United Neighborhood Organization, which established the successful Chicago-based network of UNO Charter Schools.
Educational Partners
Latino Youth Alternative High School is a campus of the Youth Connection Charter School (YCCS), a member of the Alternative School Network (ASN) a division of Pilsen Wellness Center (PWC), and is recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Latino Youth Alternative High School also receives funding and support from the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and The Department of Children and Family Services' (DCFS) Youth Development and Training Program (YSDTP).