Social Change through Stanford Youth Impact Program Begins

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 100 students from middle schools in Redwood City, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto communities arrived on the campus of Stanford University early Monday morning. As they arrived, they were greeted by Stanford University Football players and staff, representatives from the U.S. Marine Corps and teachers from the Ravenswood Unified School District.

The Youth Impact Program (YIP), presented by the San Francisco 49ers and hosted by Stanford University, began its three-week summer program in academics and life skills for at-risk youths in the Bay Area, replicating the Stanford University Student Athlete experience.

"The program is free for the participants and provides access and relationships with Stanford University along with critical life and academic skill sets over a sustained time period to help foster social change." Said Riki Ellison the founder of the Youth Impact Program (YIP), former San Francisco 49er and three time Super Bowl Champion.

The YIP participants take morning STEM and English classes on the Stanford Campus taught by local Ravenswood Public School teachers and current Stanford University student athletes. In the afternoons, the YIP participants learn essential life skills on nonviolent conflict resolution, bullying, self-confidence and courage in decision making. The students also receive coaching in USA Football Certified contact football by their Stanford Football Player mentors and teachers.

12 student athletes from the current Stanford Football team serve as coaches and mentors for the boys. Through an academic program developed in part by teachers from the Ravenswood School District and the Lockheed-Martin aerospace company, a leadership curriculum extracted from U.S. Marine Corps ethics and a football plan developed by the Stanford football coaching staff, the boys are taught to lead and follow principles that are effective on the field, in the classroom, and in life.

The Stanford YIP is supported by the San Francisco 49ers, CBRE of Palo Alto, Lockheed Martin, View Inc., NanoDimension Inc., the NFL Foundation, USA Football, Pepsi Co., American Children's Fund, Palo Alto Technology Center, the U.S. Marine Corps, Giving Children a Second Chance Foundation and individual private donations.

The program, in its fourth year, runs through July 18 at Stanford University, A parallel Youth Impact Program at Northwestern University in Chicago will begin on July 7.

More information on the Youth Impact can be provided at www.youthimpactprogram.org, or by contacting Riki Ellison at 703-299-0060.

SOURCE Youth Impact Program

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