CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Taniah Brown is a freshman at East Mecklenburg High School, and she is already touring college campuses and learning how to be responsible with her finances.
It is a head start at adulthood that not every student gets, but it is just part of the curriculum at The Academy of Goal Achievers.
"It helps you, and it gives you a better start. It just puts you up like ten points in everything," Brown said. "Half the stuff I really didn't know, and getting more in tune with financing and saving stuff and not spending money... I look at that more differently."
The Academy of Goal Achievers is a leadership and mentorship program designed to mold students in underserved communities into well-rounded young adults.
Courtnie Coble, the organization's founder and CEO, said the program started in 2015 with a little more than a dozen students. Last year, the group served nearly 150.
"They learn about self-esteem," Coble said. "They learn about self-love, mental health, mental wellness. We also go on college tours. ... We have a fun night out."
The program prides itself on a "two-generational approach." So, while it focuses on those in ninth grade all the way to age 23, students are not the only ones learning.
Brown's mother, Akeisha White, also attends parent classes.
"Raising kids, it's hard," White said. "So, it's helping out a lot to understand the relationship with, you know, parents and kids."
Coble said the organization strives to get students to the next level after high school, which can be college, for some. For others, it is a trade. She said volunteers offer important resources during what can be a stressful time -- a stressful time made even more so by a pandemic.
"When life gets hard, when you don't realize what's the next step, just know that you are capable of achieving goals," Coble said. "Our job through their journey through our program is to build their skill set, to build their confidence, and increase their resources, so they can make their dreams come true."
Those wanting to support the Academy of Goal Achievers can volunteer as a career coach or speaker. Businesses could offer job shadowing or internships. Coble said donations are also helpful.
You can also make a difference by donating money to help fund the program. WCNC Charlotte, the TEGNA Foundation, the Parham Family Charitable Fund and Steel Skin Realty will match up to the first $5,000.