Freedom Youth Academy (FYA) was established in 1980 by Dr. Henry J. Gaskins and his wife, Mrs. Mary Ann Gaskins in their home as an aftershool and enrichment center for the neighborhood youth. During its 21 years of existence, FYA has served hundreds of students and their families. The Academy has received over 75 honors and awards, as well as numerous highlights and recognition in the various media for its outstanding contributions to society. FYA is a 501(c)(3) community-based organization, dedicated to the improvement of the scholastic assessment and educational skills of the youth. Through tutorial, enrichment, summer camps, and testing programs, FYA prepares its students for academic success at all grade levels.

The Freedom Youth Academy's philosophy of education includes six components: Early intervention, parental involvement, one-to-one reinforcement, hands on experiments, video/computer/cassette-aided learning techniques, and small classroom settings. The belief that children think and learn in different ways motivates this philosophy. Students enrolled in FYA's PSAT/SAT preparatory program have raised their scores from 50 to 340 points, earning scholarships and distinction. They are also attending colleges and universities located all over the United States acquiring undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. Monthly scholarship stipends are awarded to qualified students.

The Academy serves a total of 140 at-risk youth ages 5-19 (grades Pre-K-12) in the greater Washington DC area including Virginia and Maryland. The Academy formed a partnership in 1993 with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and is located in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Upper School, 1600 Morris Road, SE, Washington, DC 20020.

The main goal of the Academy is to provide an atmosphere and opportunity for the inner city at-risk children and youth to learn how to prepare themselves for today's society by focusing on the importance of education. Students are exposed at a very early age to English, mathematics, science, analytical thinking and reasoning skills, study skills, test preparation techniques, and computer technology classes. The Academy believes very strongly in early intervention and parental involvement. Parents are given the opportunity to assist their children by becoming actively involved in the learning process. They are provided with handouts about the latest technology that will assist them and their children in the learning process.

The summer enrichment camp focuses on an academic enrichment program, and test preparation classes. The program helps students improve their performance on school-standardized tests. Students become motivated to excel in academics, art, cultural, athletics, and social pursuits. An increased level of student awareness and commitment to areas of mathematics, English, and computer education are also direct by-products of the program.
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The primary purpose is education and we strive to develop and increase the students' level of competence. The Academy also seeks to blend goodness of character with intellectual skills for the benefit of the students in their pursuit of academic excellence. The goals are as follows:

*To advise, counsel, and teach children to fully utilize their skills, abilities and aptitudes.
*To improve the study habits, math, and verbal skills of the students.
*To provide methods and materials which develop higher levels of analytical thinking and critical reasoning skills.
*To develop leadership and social responsibility.
*To improve the student's performance in school and on scholastic assessment tests.
*To further motivate the student to excel in academic, cultural, art, athletic, and social pursuits.
*To successfully prepare the students to effectively communicate at all levels of educational progression.

The primary focus of the program is to motivate the students through proven and successful teaching methods, to acquire reading, writing, and reasoning skills. We are committed toward making education the number one goal for the future success of children. We are determined to make education a commodity that will afford the students an opportunity to grow and to become successful in their future endeavors.


One of the most important achievements of the last 23 years has been identifying the factors that characterize effective schools. The most important characteristics of effective schools are strong instructional leadership, a safe and orderly climate, emphasis on basic skills, high teacher expectation for student achievement, and continuous assessment of pupil progress. The Freedom Youth Academy has been recognized as being highly successful in demonstrating proficiency in the above areas.

Individualized attention and one-to-one instruction are the cornerstones of this highly successful program. Moreover, teacher and staff have made special efforts in cultivating talents, enriching opportunities for learning, and in helping to generate an interest toward learning that will enable the children to strive for academic excellence. At the Freedom Youth Academy, students are motivated to pursue the American dream of a life that is replete with hope, self-respect, responsibility, personal fulfillment and academic achievement. We are committed to saving our children from despair and loss of hope. If we could improve the educational skills of our children and youth, we could give them the "anchors" they need to avoid harmful inferences such as drugs, alcohol, gang involvement, and teen pregnancy.

The following are examples of how students benefit from the program:

*The average fourth-grade student coming to the Academy typically tests 1-2 grades lower in reading and math abilities. After one quarter in the program, students are able to raise the reading and comprehension skills significantly.

*Standardized tests of academic performance are the doorway to higher education and career advancement. It is estimated that it will take minority and disadvantaged students at least 45 years to attain the average score of 903 on the scholastic assessment test. Within six months students at the Academy have been successful in exceeding the present day average.

*The average high school grade point average in Washington DC public is 1.4 on a 4.0 scale. Eighty percent of students at the Academy maintain 3.0 grade point average and are on the honor roll.

*The graduation rate of Washington, DC high school seniors is 40 percent. Ninety percent of students attending the Academy graduate from high school and continue to pursue other academic opportunities.
*The Freedom Youth Academy sites are located in the vicinity of Wards 6, 7, 8 in Washington, DC. These sites were chosen to reach out to children and youth who live in the Anacostia neighborhood, which is one of the most disadvantaged areas in the District. The program is located in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Upper School where seven classrooms and a computer lab are available for learning.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Listed are some of the prestigious awards that the Academy has received for its outstanding work with the youth in the greater metropolitan Washington, DC area including Virginia, and Maryland.

January 15, 1996 - Dr. and Mrs. Gaskins were the recipients of the United Planning Organization's, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award.

June 8, 1994 - Dr. and Mrs. Gaskins recipients an Education Award from the Washington Space Business Roundtable.

June 22, 1994 - Mrs. Mary Ann Gaskins selected as one of WKYS-FM/WDCA-TV's "Women Who Make A Difference."

April 1993 - Mrs. Mary Ann Gaskins inducted by the D. C. Commission for Women into the D. C. Women's Hall of Fame.

August 20, 1993 - Dr. and Mrs. Mary Ann Gaskins featured by the McDonald's Corporation in local newspapers in their "Portraits of the City" special honoring African American Role Models who have made a positive difference in the community.

November 15 , 1993 - Dr. Gaskins featured cover study, "Preparing for the New SAT's," in the Winter Education issue of the Washington Times.

July 1992 - FYA participated in the international education forum, "Role of Volunteerism in the United States." Representatives from 23 countries visited FYA in order to establish similar programs in their countries.

May 2, 1990 - Dr. and Mrs. Gaskins were selected as Board Members for the President's First Youth Leadership Forum. Members of FYA staff were also invited to the White House as a part of George Bush's Points of Light Volunteerism Initiative.

April 27, 1990 - Dr. and Mrs. Gaskins were the recipients of President Bush  Volunteer Action Award, the most prestigious award given to any U. S. citizen for volunteerism.

May 20, 1987 - President Ronald Reagan recognized Dr. and Mrs. Gaskins as his honored guests at the White House as one of the 34 school recipients of a national study, "Schools That Work," published by the Secretary of Education, Mr. William E. Bennett.

The Freedom Youth Academy has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Washington Times, and the Washington Afro Newspapers. They have also been featured in The Congressional Record, Newsweek, Jet, Essence, 1991 Success Guide, Dossier, The Catholic Standard, Child Magazine, NAS Headquarters Bulletins, Library of Congress Bulletins, National Space Club Bulletins, United Planning Organization Bulletins. They have been features on the following radio stations: WOL, WTOP, WINX, WUDC, WHUR, WGAY, WRC, WJZ, American Character. And 1340. They have been featured on the following television programs: Our Voices, BET Teen Summit, Broadcast Factory, United Planning Organization, Channels 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 16, and 32. They have been featured in the following books: American Character, Finish for the Future, and 50 Ways to Serve Your Community
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