Mental Fitness 21st Century Learning at Fairburn Youth Center

Program Overview

Mental Fitness aims to serve all students and their families by promoting a culture that focuses on rigorous academic support and comprehensive social and emotional learning. The majority of our scholars are students of color who do not have positive role models or and or opportunities to access quality after school programs or positive mentors. We believe that all children deserve high-quality educational opportunities led by caring, nurturing adults to help prepare them to be competitive, globally minded citizens in the 21st century. Mental Fitness also supports our scholars social-emotional and leadership development by helping them cultivate skills such as the ability to collaborate, problem solve, think critically, and be culturally aware.

In response to the county's need to improve the quality of life in high crime, high poverty, low literacy communities; Mental Fitness Family Digital Literacy Academy (FDLA) was developed with the belief that having a sound understanding of computer technology has become the foundation for higher-order thinking and developing the competencies to close gaps in youth and adult literacy.

The FDLA includes out-of-school time sessions for youth 5 days per week for 3 hours each day and bi-weekly Saturday session for families. The goal of each session is to motivate students and their families via computer technology training, academic enrichment, and project-based STEM learning opportunities. All youth activities, from Mobymax online math literacy engagement to Quirkles computer-based reading program to Bricks4Schoolz LEGO building, are carefully selected to align with Georgia Milestones standards in effort to optimize student growth and understanding of principals taught in day school.

In addition to youth programming, the Family Digital Literacy Academy also requires all parents of enrolled students to also enroll in Mental Fitness' adult literacy and workforce development program while being an active participant in Mental Fitness Parent and Child Together Time programs. By targeting communities with low literacy rates, Mental Fitness aims to use these parent requirements to challenge and support families: challenging through rigorous literacy development and workforce training and supporting through fun family engagement workshops and family counseling as necessary.

Cost Info