PRINCETON: YMCA, Young Achievers work to keep youth programs

   The Boards of Directors of the Princeton Family YMCA and Princeton Young Achievers (PYA) have voted unanimously to combine their resources to guarantee the continuance of an academic support and enrichment program for children of Princeton’s public and affordable housing communities.
   The boards have pledged their joint commitment to the continuation in the 2011-12 school year of programs that have been offered since 1993.
   ”When we learned that PYA was facing financial challenges that would have compromised its ability to serve the community this September, we acted very quickly,” said David Sandahl, chairman of the YMCA board of directors.
   ”We couldn’t imagine a better partner,” said Clayton Marsh, the president of the Princeton Young Achievers board of directors. “During my first conversation with YMCA CEO Kate Bech, we identified all sorts of exciting possibilities that might enable PYA to continue its after-school programs without interruption this fall.”
   Princeton Young Achievers was founded in 1993 to provide better academic support for children in Princeton’s public and affordable housing communities.
   Today PYA operates after-school enrichment programs for children in grades K-5 at the Pannell Center on Clay Street, Littlebrook School, and the Crimmins Learning Center at Princeton Community Village. PYA employs 14 part-time teachers, including four site coordinators, has a core of more than 40 active volunteers.
   ”Working with PYA is a big step forward on the path we want to follow,” said YMCA CEO Kate Bech. “We have started some new programs in Youth Development, such as our Y Scholars group mentoring program for middle school students and an expanded offering in after school programs, and working with PYA will allow us to coordinate and leverage our resources much more effectively.”
   Officials from both organizations noted that the combination of resources serves to focus resources on services rather than administrative overhead.
   ”I would like to say to our students, our parents, and our funders that by combining resources with the YMCA, PYA will be able to do even more to serve the children and their families, not less,” said Marsh.