Louisiana Youth for Excellence (LYFE) Program

Our journey for positive youth development has not stopped during COVID. It has propelled our youth forward, towards a journey that shows patience, creativity and a greater understanding of engagement during unexpected change.

Our journey for positive youth development has not stopped during COVID. It has propelled our youth forward, towards a journey that shows patience, creativity and a greater understanding of engagement during unexpected change. – Sashika Baunchand, OMG Founder and President, Louisiana What is LYFE? The LYFE program is designed to teach youth personal responsibility, self-regulation, goal setting, healthy decision-making, a focus on the future, and the prevention of youth risk behaviors. Louisiana Youth For Excellence (LYFE) was created to promote positive youth development and to build awareness of the consequences of at-risk behaviors for today’s vulnerable youth, such as children in foster care, children in poverty, and children in juvenile detention centers. Prioritizing our most at-risk youth first, our goal is to expand statewide and provide our positive message to all students throughout Louisiana. LYFE works with schools, non-profit and faith-based organizations, parents, and the community to teach goal setting, leadership development, character building, and integrity. Program Objectives Implement curricula and/or strategies that include medically accurate and complete information based on adolescent learning and developmental theories for the age group receiving the education. Teach sexual risk avoidance skills through methods that do not normalize teen sexual activity. Select sexual risk avoidance curricula and/or strategies that are culturally appropriate, and recognize the experiences of youth from diverse communities, backgrounds, and experiences. Target youth ages 10 to 19. Funding This LYFE Program is made possible by Grant Number HHS-2024-ACF-ACYF-SRAE-0044 from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Its contents are solely the responsibility of (insert name of recipient) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. The Title V State SRAE Program is authorized and funded by Section 510 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 710) as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (Public Law 117103) and extended by division B, title I, section 142 of the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Public Law No 118-35), and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. For more resources, visit WeAscend Staff: Dr. Amanda Shackelford Executive Director (225) 342-3423 Email: [email protected] Staff: Tressa Dunbar Program Manager (225) 219-7552 Email: [email protected] Rachael Dorman Program Manager