
Executive Director Sheila Venson’s Perspective on Alternative Education
In the Executive Director’s Corner, YCCS Executive Director Sheila Venson responds to inaccuracies presented in a series of articles under the shared title of “Alternate Route”and calls for a balanced and informed reporting of an ongoing story of development and growth.

CYDI Safe Summer Summit
Community Youth Development Institute students gathered in the auditorium to discuss an issue that affect them all directly, violence. Staff and students of CYDI have witness every summer someone in their Auburn-Gresham neighborhood fall victim to violence. Before school is over for the 2008-2009 school year, CYDI held their 1st Safe Summer Summit. The purpose [...]

Chicago Tribune Highlights Struggles of YCCS Students
Youth Connection Charter School 2009 graduate Nasia Smith was featured in a Chicago Tribune article on August 7, 2009. The article entitled, “In The Fight of Their Lives”, recent graduates of CPS schools discuss overcoming a growing problem in Chicago, homelessness. Nasia was one of the 236 homeless youth population enrolled in YCCS campuses this [...]

Melissa Fleming Gets A View Through Their Eyes
There is a Chinese saying: Try fail, try fail, try succeed! Melissa Fleming, Bronzeville Academic Center’s dedicated world literature teacher does not know Chinese but she knows her students. And she realizes they are full of untapped potential, if only we find the way to turn on the spigot.
“I often consider abandoning a text after [...]








