2025 Empower Youth Success Awards
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Community Schools Champion Awards
These awards recognize individuals and organizations—such as youth, caregivers, teachers, principals, community school directors, superintendents, policymakers, and community partners—who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing the community schools strategy. Awardees have shown exemplary leadership in championing this transformative approach to education and community engagement.
Excellence in Policymaking
This award honors elected officials or agency employees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in shaping policies that support community schools. The recipient:
- Advocates for policies that promote high-quality community schools, ensuring all students and families have the resources they need to succeed.
- Effectively communicates the impact of community schools to diverse stakeholders.
- Champions democratic and equitable policymaking processes at the state and national levels.
Excellence in District Leadership
This award recognizes a superintendent or district leader who exemplifies exceptional leadership in supporting community schools. The recipient:
- Demonstrates strong, collaborative leadership at the district level.
- Advocates for the community schools strategy on behalf of children and families at state or national levels.
- Actively engages decision-makers and stakeholders to promote the benefits of the community schools strategy.
Excellence in Collaborative Leadership
This award celebrates outstanding leadership by a principal and community schools director/coordinator. The recipients:
- Maintain a consistent and diverse Advisory Board or School Leadership Team that embraces shared leadership and diverse voices.
- Work collaboratively to address the needs of students, families, and the community.
- Build integrated systems of support and strategic partnerships.
- Promote inclusive and equitable shared decision-making processes.
Excellence in Rigorous Community-Connected Classroom Instruction
This award honors a classroom teacher who demonstrates outstanding leadership in integrating community-connected classroom instruction. The recipient:
- Delivers instruction that is both academically rigorous and deeply connected to the community.
- Implements restorative practices to foster a supportive classroom environment.
- Actively participates in leadership roles, such as serving on an Advisory Board or School Leadership Team, championing community schools in union or faculty meetings, or supporting expanded and enriched learning opportunities.
Excellence in Powerful Student & Family Engagement
This award recognizes a student and their family member who exemplify exceptional leadership in fostering meaningful engagement. The recipients:
- Promote equitable practices that involve students and families in decision-making and governance structures.
- Strengthen relationships through effective communication between families, schools, and the community.
- Actively participate in community school events and programs.
- Bridge home, school, and community resources to support student success.
Network for Youth Success Awards
The Network For Youth Success Quality Leadership Award
This award spotlights leadership by an afterschool, summer, or expanded learning site leader, director, supervisor, or coordinator. The winner of this award:
- Has five or more years of experience in administering/directing afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs; or education and non-profit administrators that advocate on behalf of their afterschool programs.
- Understands the critical value of quality afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs in the developmental needs of youth.
- Has made significant contributions to the afterschool, summer, or expanded learning field. This could entail being actively engaged with a youth development organization, providing training in the field, or advocating for the afterschool movement and profession.
- Olympia Wilson (Global Kids)
Olympia Wilson has dedicated over a decade to transforming the lives of children and teens in underserved communities, and her passion for youth development is rooted in her own experiences. Growing up, she found a sense of belonging, inspiration, and hope through afterschool and teen programs. These programs were not just activities—they were lifelines that opened doors she never knew existed. Today, as a leader in the field, Olympia works tirelessly to ensure that the next generation has access to the same opportunities that changed her life.Her mission is deeply personal: to empower young people to rise above systemic barriers and achieve their dreams. As the Senior Director of School Based Programs at Global Kids, Olympia oversees programs that nurture resilience, build confidence, and inspire leadership in young people. She believes every child deserves a safe space to grow, dream, and thrive—regardless of their zip code or circumstances.
Currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education, Olympia is focused on designing strategies to create equitable opportunities for students in underserved areas. Her research stems from a conviction that education is the most powerful tool for breaking cycles of poverty and inequality. She sees each program she develops as a stepping stone for children to achieve their full potential and become tomorrow’s leaders.
Olympia’s unwavering commitment has touched countless lives. Parents share stories of their children finding their voices for the first time. Former students write back, crediting her programs for helping them pursue higher education or careers they once thought were out of reach. These moments fuel her drive to keep breaking down barriers and leveling the playing field for all children.
Olympia believes that every young person has the potential to lead and thrive when given the right tools and opportunities. Her work is a testament to the power of investing in our youth—not just for their future, but for the future of our communities and society as a whole.
- Marino Frias (West Side Community Services)
Hello, my name is Marino Frias, and I am both humbled and honored to receive The
Network for Youth Success Quality Leadership Award and the Program Award of
Excellence and Innovation for my work at West Side Community Services. As the
Director of Youth Programs, this recognition holds a special place in my heart. Over the
past 19 years in youth development, I’ve been lucky to be mentored by incredible
individuals who have shaped my leadership style and instilled in me the values of
integrity, compassion, and purpose. Their guidance has helped me lead with a focus on
quality and impact.
My journey began as a camp counselor, where I first learned the power of connection
and guidance. From there, I grew into roles as a division leader and leadership director
at New York YMCA Camp, then as an after-school counselor and coordinator at Dorothy
Bennett Mercy Center, followed by serving as assistant director/evening coordinator at
The Child Center of New York. Each of these experiences brought me closer to my
passion for supporting youth. At West Side Community Services, I’ve had the
opportunity to channel my creativity and industry knowledge into transforming our after-
school program into a thriving “third place”—a home away from home where youth can
develop life skills and grow into confident individuals.
I am also incredibly grateful for the chance to empower my staff, helping them build their
own confidence and providing the tools they need to succeed in both their roles and in
life. This honor is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of my staff, my agency
aka my West Side Family, and my family—including my amazing fiancée Quinn and our
dog. I also want to thank the families I work with every day. In our youth programs, we
have a saying: “We bring people up here,” and it’s a principle I try to live by every day.
Thank you again for this incredible honor, and I’ll continue striving to live up to the
standards set by my mentors and to pay it forward to others.
The Network For Youth Success Exemplary Award of Professionalism
This award spotlights professional excellence by a staff member in the afterschool, summer, or expanded learning professions. The winner of this award:
- Has worked directly with youth for at least 2 years of their career.
- Currently works a minimum of 15 hours a week in an afterschool, summer, or expanded learning program.
- Has an inclusive understanding of the developmental needs of children, youth, and families.
- Is committed to professional growth.
- Taylor Rae Cooper (Mosholu Montefiore Community Center)
Taylor-Rae Cooper is a fearless, empathetic, dedicated, and passionate Program Director at the
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC). There, she leads the COMPASS After-
School Program at PS 21, serving 150 participants. Her visionary leadership has elevated the
program to one of the most highly regarded in the agency. Her team’s exceptional performance
has led to over six part-time staff members being promoted to full-time Director roles.
Born and raised in the Bronx, Taylor graduated from St. Catherine’s Academy and became a
first-generation college graduate, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the College of
Mount Saint Vincent. Her journey into youth development began in 2020 as a Youth Group
Counselor at MMCC, where she quickly discovered her passion for working with children and
making a difference. Her career reflects her deep commitment to fostering growth, safety, and
well-being for every participant in her care.
Beyond her role, Taylor embodies leadership and community engagement, inspiring all those
around her with her fearless determination, empathetic approach, and unwavering dedication.
Her loyalty to PS 21 and her drive to continually improve the program’s quality have made her
an invaluable asset to her organization. She has demonstrated a keen ability to connect with her
unique scholar-first approach, where scholars from diverse backgrounds are inspired to be active
participants in overcoming challenges and achieving their academic goals. Establishing a balance
of strategic oversight with hands-on leadership has positioned her as a beacon of excellence in
after-school programming and management. Taylor fosters a service culture with excellence,
collaboration, and innovation for scholars; upward social mobility. She remains a role model to
staff, families, and scholars, providing tools and learning platforms to identify and address all
needs.
Taylor-Rae Cooper’s dedication to mentoring and guiding young males and females throughout
her career epitomizes W.E.B. Du Bois’ words: “Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not
some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day
or future year.” She leverages these words to shape her work and how she can leave a lasting
impact, motivating and guiding youth on their path to success.
- Fatima Elabed (West Side Community Services)
Fatima is a first-generation college graduate, proudly bilingual in Arabic and English. For six years, she served as a sexual health educator, empowering individuals with knowledge to make informed choices. Currently, she works as a Prevention Manager and Youth Site Coordinator, where she teaches programs like Too Good for Violence and Too Good for Drugs, helping young people recognize their potential beyond peer pressure and societal influence. She also runs the afterschool program on Buffalo’s West Side, the community she calls home. As a native of this vibrant area, she is dedicated to equipping our kids with the social and emotional learning they need to thrive while serving as a bridge to help them navigate between cultures.
The Network For Youth Success Program Award of Excellence and Innovation
This award spotlights an organization, department, or program that is accredited to standards of excellence through the Network for Youth Success. The winner of this award:
- Has operated for at least two years.
- Can be public, private, or faith-based afterschool, summer, or expanded learning program.
- Meets the highest standards of quality in the field.
- Implements programming with enriching activities that promote higher learning.
- Incorporates collective strategies between family and the community to meet afterschool needs of the attendees.
- West Side Community Services
West Side Community Services has operated on the West Side of Buffalo, NY since 1975. The organization offers services to the local community that especially focus on youth and senior resilience, social interaction, mental and physical wellness, local/healthy food access, prosocial behavior development, drug/alcohol/violence prevention, and education. Their focuses include youth programming, older adult programming, and Provision 139 pantry to name a few.
The neighborhoods surrounding WSCS contain the most diverse zip codes in the state outside of New York City. WSCS’s programs welcome and celebrate children, teens, and older adults from many different cultures and ethnicities, socio-economic strata, ages, and language groups. WSCS staff and volunteers are multilingual and multicultural to serve the community most effectively.
The Network For Youth Success Champion Award
This award spotlights entities and individuals, including youth, caregivers, and those working in the field, with philanthropic groups, at corporations, or at agencies or other institutions who have demonstrated exemplary advocacy efforts to champion high-quality afterschool, summer, and other expanded learning opportunities for youth. The winner of this award:
- Has demonstrated significant leadership in supporting high-quality afterschool, summer, or expanded learning and development opportunities that support youth success in school, college, work, and life.
- Advocates to promote effective afterschool policies and outcomes on behalf of children and families at the state or national level.
- Actively leads and/or participates in efforts to educate decision makers and other stakeholders about the benefits of afterschool, summer, and other expanded learning opportunities.
- Senator Zellnor Myrie (New York State Senate)
- Shawn Jean-Louis (ExpandED Schools)
Shawn Jean-Louis is a native New Yorker, having been born and raised in the Northeast section of the Bronx. He spent approximately 10 years in the afterschool field. The first six were spent on the ground facilitating programs for students in the Bronx and Manhattan and the last four working at the policy and systems level, most recently as the policy director at ExpandED Schools.His passion for out of school time grew out of the flexibility, creativity, and opportunity to center student voice and identity that is the foundation of the afterschool sector. He recognized that it is distinct in its potential learning offerings and student-adult relationships it could cultivate and saw in these opportunities the potential to begin to heal the fractured relationship between historically neglected populations and traditional institutions of learning.
Although Shawn has recently (as of January 10, 2025) decentered out of school time as a profession and joined the FDNY Fire Academy to learn how to become a New York City Firefighter, he plans to continue to stay involved with the field when the opportunity presents itself.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Theater from Hunter College and Master’s Degree in Education with a focus in Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
The Network For Youth Success Insight & Impact Award
This award spotlights entities and individuals, including youth, caregivers, and those working in the field, with philanthropic groups, at corporations, or at agencies or other institutions who have demonstrated exemplary advocacy efforts to champion high-quality afterschool, summer, and other expanded learning opportunities for youth. The winner of this award:
- Has demonstrated significant leadership in supporting high-quality afterschool, summer, or expanded learning and development opportunities that support youth success in school, college, work, and life.
- Advocates to promote effective afterschool policies and outcomes on behalf of children and families at the state or national level.
- Actively leads and/or participates in efforts to educate decision makers and other stakeholders about the benefits of afterschool, summer, and other expanded learning opportunities.
- Rob Lillis, Evalumetrics
Rob Lillis conducted his first research project, “Population Density and Alcohol Preference in BALB-J Strain of White Mice”, before most people at this conference were born. He worked in prevention research for numerous substance abuse agencies, the New York State Health Department, the University of Rochester School of Medicine and, for the past 15 years, has provided research and evaluation services as an independent consultant through Evalumetrics Research (DBA). He is the Evaluation Consultant to numerous State, County, and local youth development, substance abuse, violence, teen pregnancy, and school dropout prevention programs. He facilitates strategic planning and conducts detailed needs assessments, develops outcomes-based plans, and designs evaluations for numerous initiatives. Since 2008, Rob has been providing evaluation services for 21st Century Learning Centers in Wayne County. He works with Finger Lakes Community Schools, Drug Free Communities, and numerous other coalitions and programs designed to promote health, wellness, and youth development. Rob developed the Evalumetrics Youth Survey (EYS) which has been used in rural schools since 1999. The EYS has been used to track student risk and protective factors and to identify predictors of risk for substance abuse, mental health problems, school drop-out, and teen pregnancy. Most recently, Rob helped the Network for Youth Success in developing a survey to evaluate the SAC training program.
- Ryan Heath, Syracuse University
Ryan Heath, Ph.D., L.C.S.W, is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Syracuse University, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. His research seeks to understand how organized activities during out-of-school time (OST) and community schools promote the healthy development of students from under-resourced backgrounds, students of color, and other historically marginalized youth.
