AYAP Provides a 'Hand Up' to Students
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AYAP Provides a 'Hand Up' to Students
by Jaidyn Bills
"Everybody needs somebody," says Early Intervention Advocate, Melissa Echerd.
She and her counterpart, Victoria Allen, work for the Avon Youth Assistance Program (AYAP). This nonprofit organization supports students at Avon Academy and Avon High School to find success outside the school setting. They also help students and their families find the resources they require.
AYAP is a voluntary resource that is available for all students. Echerd and Allen spend a lot of time with students, listening to them, asking questions, and seeking clarity. Their goal is to connect students to whatever resources they might need to help them through the wide variety of life circumstances in which they might find themselves. These consist of gym memberships, mental wellness resources, sports sign-ups, driver's education registration, food and clothing resources, Family Promise and other housing resources, and many more. The primary goal of the connections AYAP helps to forge is to help the students and their families with their practical needs so students can remain on track to graduate and succeed both while they're still students and long after their time in Avon Schools.
AYAP is an early intervention prevention program, meaning that the resources they provide are designed to help students avoid more serious issues in the future. They help students and families build a foundation that can help them avoid further life challenges, direct them to deeper connections in the community, and help them build relationships and create a sense of belonging through mentoring.
Because AYAP is a nonprofit organization, the funds they raise and grants they win to go directly to the students. Ultimately, Echerd and Allen show up for students and connect them to resources that make things easier for the students and their families. They create individualized plans for each student in any given situation. Many times, they find, the students they help simply need a little extra pick-me-up. The students they help simply need someone to support them along the way.
The program is designed to empower vulnerable youth and families by engaging our community to help them realize their self-worth, embrace the joy of learning, and achieve their full potential. AYAP brings together individuals, businesses, faith-based institutions, and other nonprofit organizations to provide support, enrichment, and opportunities for youth and their parents and guardians.
Echerd and Allen both do what they can to ensure success for all of their students to help get them connected to the community and other external outlets.
If you are a high school student in need of support — or if you know someone who is — you can email Echerd or Allen or you can make a referral via the AYAP website.