Language Initiative
Our language programs break barriers, with over 700 students learning over 10 languages like Spanish, French, Mandarin, and more. This success is thanks to the dedication of our native-speaking volunteers and partnerships with esteemed institutions like Washington University in St. Louis, which has provided over 100 volunteer teachers since 2017.

Art, Agriculture, and Aviation

- Art: We offer avenues for creative expression through art exhibitions and workshops. Our students even put together an exhibition for the Sheldon Art Gallery in 2019-2020 called "East Side Renaissance."

- Agriculture: Our urban farming initiatives promote sustainable living and provide hands-on experience in agriculture. Students have funded community gardens through their businesses in the entrepreneurship classes that produce up to 2,000 pounds of food per year and has led to international agriculture projects in Latin America and leading the East St. Louis Rotating Farmers Market in partnership with other local food producers to improve pedestrian access to healthy, organic food throughout the Metro East. The idea for the market came from a student trip to Kenya in 2019 when they visited the Maasai Mobile MArket in Nairobi. We were also the first site for Seed St. Louis in Illinois, part of the Master Gardener Program with the University of Illinois, and are currently working with the Missouri Botanical Garden on programs for phenology and horticulture in our community.

- Aviation: STEM aviation programs introduce students to career opportunities in the aviation industry through partnerships with Wings of Hope and the Challenger Learning Center, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Our students have even worked with international branches in Ecuador and Tanzania, learning how their skills can cross oceans and borders to help save lives in medical aviation services.

Financial Literacy
Our organization has partnered with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to provide financial education. We have implemented this program at 6 schools in East St. Louis District 189 and 2 community centers. We have also facilitated staff trainings in the program for local organizations, and we have had 6 students serve on the Fed's Student Board of Directors. We have also partnered with Scott Credit Union to help 75 student open savings accounts and with several other banks, credit unions, community organizations, and real estate agencies to provide resources to improve access to home ownership to community member through our Hometeam Homeowners events.