Richmond Youth Academy

The Richmond Black Firefighters Association seeks to break the cycle of youth violence by initiating the Richmond Youth Academy. The Academy will enroll 50 cadets annually in a ten-month program to participate in training and preparation for a career in fire-fighting, with classes focused on tutoring, computer literacy, safety training, emergency preparation and life skills. The goals of the Academy are threefold: (1) to engage and motivate the students to participate fully in the Academy, including attendance, performance, and achievement; (2) to improve the grades and test scores of cadets to facilitate their graduation from high school, pass the California High School Exit Exam (CHSEE), and enter post-secondary school, and (3) to change youth behavior, specifically the choices and decision made by the cadets during and after program participation. Performance measures will include school test scores and grades, attendance, graduation rates, CHSEE exam scores, arrests or school disciplinary incidents, substance abuse rates, violent incident and gang involvement, and participation in graffiti or vandalism. NCA/NCF