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The Urbana Youth Center (UYC) celebrated the graduation of Hezekiah Stephenson recently from UYC’s High School Equivalency (HSE) Program.

He is one of three students who earned their diploma through UYC.

The Ohio High School Equivalency Diploma is awarded by the State of Ohio to students who were not able to complete high school on a traditional track and who pass four tests with satisfactory scores in science, math, social studies, and language arts.

Generally, these students are part of the “withdraw” statistic at Urbana City Schools, which currently has a four-year graduation rate of 81.8%, according to the Ohio Department of Education. That correlates to approximately 15-25 students per year who do not earn their diploma in the traditional time frame. UYC serves that population by providing another path to success. The HSE diploma is recognized as equivalent to a standard high school education at more than 98% of employers and colleges according to data from the national GED Testing Service.

UYC has been operating its HSE program for over two years. According to the staff, the program goes far beyond core education. Natalie Yoder, director of programs at UYC, explained that “Our HSE program is designed to exceed Ohio graduation requirements and build well-rounded students who are equipped to take on life as an independent adult. To graduate our program students must demonstrate the ability to be self-sufficient.”

Stephenson arrived at UYC after having spent nearly four years in high school and having attained only a handful of the 22 credits required for graduation.

“My life hasn’t necessarily been easy, but UYC showed me I could succeed. Change is tough but I am better for it,” Stephenson said. “Now I have a diploma, a job, and plans for the future.”

“We are very proud of Hezekiah. The local graduation rate is a real problem right now, but we know that programs like ours at UYC make a difference,” shared Judy Richardson, HSE Program Supervisor at UYC. “Thanks to the retired teachers we have serving as intervention specialists and our entire team, we are able to provide hope for these young people.”

Justin T. Weller, founder and executive director of UYC, explained, “We started UYC to meet the needs of local children. From safe places to hang out to nutrition and homework assistance to earning a diploma, our team works to build trust with students and connect them to the programs that set them up for a strong, productive future.”

UYC has more than 700 registered student members in grades 6-12. Membership is free to the general student population and provides full access to UYC’s broad range of programs.

“There is a clear demand for our services. As a facility that operates on less than $200,000 annually, we run about as lean an operation as possible. We have just three full-time staff members. Our team is fortunate to have a dedicated, hard-working group of community volunteers that make our efforts possible,” Weller explained.

According to financial reports, nearly all of current operating funds come from non-governmental entities. The facility’s website provides access to UYC’s financial overview and a copy of the youth center’s current Policy & Procedure Handbook, which details operating protocol and volunteer training at UYC, amongst other policies.

“We are all about beating the odds, for our students and this community. We can’t afford to not help these children. They are the future of this community and if we pretend they don’t exist, we are just asking for more challenges and less societal productivity in the future. It is our responsibility as a community to make sure they are given the opportunity to succeed.” Weller shared.

“Hezekiah is a perfect example of what hard work and commitment can make possible. When systems become flexible and creative, and when communities work together to face challenges head on, there’s a world of possibilities to make sure the next ‘Hezekiah’ can have the same opportunity for success. To accomplish that, we must put the children first, always,” Weller concluded.

Submitted by UYC