Engaged Communities and Youth

Engaged communities and youth mean that school and system leaders are not required to do the hard work of high school transformation alone. All facets of the community - parents, industry, post-secondary education, government agencies, and intermediary organizations, including low-income, minority populations that have been traditionally marginalized in civic and school affairs, and youth - are needed to articulate a shared vision for all high-school-age youth and to establish a network of accountability that ensures progress towards achieving that shared vision.

NAF Academies engage communities and youth through local Advisory Boards, which commit community resources and establish partnerships with the Academy, hold Academy leaders accountable for communicating data on youth outcomes, communicate data on community needs and concerns to Academy leaders, and organize and build community capacity to support the Academy's work.  Advisory Boards also help secure paid internships for students.