The aim of Empowered Youth Programs is to develop and nurture academic and social excellence in children and adolescents. We believe that every student should have post-secondary education as an option.
Targeting African American males, this initiative has as its ultimate goal the enhancement of academic performance. This goal is achieved by providing positive role models, academically challenging the students and engaging culturally relevant strategies.
Mirroring Project: GOTM, this program addresses the needs of young women as they navigate through the rigors of the educational system. As with the males, positive role models are pivotol to the success of this program.
Parental involvement is required for students enrolled in Empowered Youth Programs. Parents meet on a regular basis to explore areas of concern as well as to highlight helpful strategies and to formulate other types of support for the students.
Founder of Empowered Youth Programs is an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services at the University of Georgia. Dr. Bailey spent 10 years as a high school counselor and is in his 15th year as a university professor. He was the 2011-2012 president of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). which is the largest division within the American Counseling Association (ACA). Dr. Bailey has received numerous awards for his work in the counseling profession and for his work with Empowered Youth Programs (EYP). On March 25th, 2011 he received notification that he had been selected as the recipient of the 2011 Professional Advancement Award from the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW). This award recognizes the outstanding activities of an individual who has helped advance the field of group work through research, development of new techniques or theories, public relations, legislative activities, or group work practice. In 2012 Dr. Bailey was selected as the William Allan Boeing Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Education at Seattle University in Seattle, Washington. As the Endowed Chair Dr. Bailey spent the Fall semester as a consultant for the Seattle Youth Initiative, visiting schools, guest lecturing in classes at Seattle University meeting with superintendents and other school administrators. In addition to these activities Dr. Bailey delivered three presentations to the Seattle community regarding his work with Empowered Youth Programs.
Co-founder of Empowered Youth Programs, Dr. Bradbury-Bailey has been a science educator for 35 years in NC, VA, and GA, and won either school or district wide Teacher of the Year in every state that she has taught. In 2004, Dr. Bradbury-Bailey was one of 12 semi-finalists for the Teacher of the Year honor for the state of Georgia. Currently, she serves as the Science Educator at Cedar Shoals High School. On December 14, 2012 Dr. Bradbury-Bailey graduated from Piedmont College with her doctorate degree in Teaching and Learning. She is now lovingly known as "Ms. Dr. Bailey."
Founder and Director: Deryl Flynn Bailey