Aim

At AIM we believe that education needs to take on a more holistic strategy. When we prompted students to sum up their biggest challenge in high school they mentioned a lack of support, guidance and confidence. These young adults expressed frustration that their high school education is centered around standardized testing and narrow academics. AIM seeks to provide students with services that enrich their education. We, the founders of AIM, and high schoolers themselves, believe that the formation of a person calls for a more comprehensive approach.

Our program has three central components: yoga, character development, and vocational skills. Through structured weekly yoga classes, participants learn about the benefits of exercise and mindfulness, while personal development sessions focus on social emotional learning and key competencies for life success like self-management, responsible decision making, and relationship skills. In vocational sessions, AIM facilitators guide students through job readiness workshops and invite guest speakers to share with students their life experience, career path and the challenges they have overcome.

Students participating in AIM are administered a pre and post survey, which measures their confidence, self image, self control (emotional and behavioral regulation), and other character strengths, such as their ability to pay attention (focus). In addition, anecdotal evidence is collected about students' experience. As part of the AIM program, students develop their own goals, so we also evaluate student success by their progress and accomplishment of goals they set for themselves.

Funding from Give Miami Day will help us continue to provide the materials, sessions, and meals we offer free of cost to students and schools. It will also allow us to invest in the growth and development of AIM by hiring experienced staff to facilitate programming in new schools. We hope that you will join us in supporting Miami-Dade youth, thank you!