Christiana Smith, M.Ed. has spent her life dedicated to teaching and mentoring low-income African-American youth. As a veteran urban educator in Columbus Public Schools for over fifteen years, she has worked with hundreds of young adult and teenage African-Americans – as a teacher, guide, counselor and inspirational leader.
As a single mother who worked her way from welfare to graduating from Ohio State University with a Masters in Education, she has first-hand experience in the struggle – a perspective that allows her to connect to young girls in a uniquely compassionate way.
Her experience and success in changing young lives led her to launch The Y.E.S Circle – a non-profit endeavor targeted to African-American teenage girls.
The Y.E.S. CIRCLE MODEL
The Y.E.S. Circle model is rooted in the core value principle of individuals connecting, working collaboratively and supporting each other’s success. Her decision to launch the non-profit was inspired by a successful pilot group she led at Africentric Middle School in Columbus, OH with ten middle school girls.
Christiana believes that all young adults are entitled to opportunities and success in life regardless of their physical situation. She is a passionate believer in surviving the struggle and has the experience herself to prove that it can be done. In counseling low-income youth, she taps into the challenges she faced as a single mother on welfare – financial, mental, emotional. She can relate very directly to the lives the kids live on a daily basis – she can say “I have been where you are” which lays the foundation for a deep connection to the young adults she has counseled.
To know that the model works, one has to look no farther than real-life – young adults whose lives have been changed (names have been changed to protect the students):
Christiana Smith is an impassioned teacher, counselor, inspirational speaker and champion for African-American youth.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
For information on the Y.E.S. Circle or to invite Christiana to speak, email info@theyescircle.org.
Copyright 2012 The Y.E.S. Circle. All rights reserved.