YELLS (Youth Empowerment through Learning, Leading, and Serving, Inc.)

YELLS (Youth Empowerment through Learning, Leading, and Serving, Inc.) is a non-profit positive youth development organization offering a Mentoring Program, Afterschool Program, and Community Action Cafe Teen Program. We serve youth within their own Franklin Gateway community in Marietta, Georgia.

The YELLS Mentoring Program’s Service Learning model is rooted in youth voice and allows youth to rise as the leaders of their communities. Consistent with the Big Brothers Big Sisters approach, YELLS matches high school "Bigs" one-on-one with elementary school "Littles." Every Tuesday, YELLS provides Bigs with interactive leadership workshops, which they then share with the Littles. Empowered with these new skills, together they design and implement youth-led service initiatives to better their communities. This system of Bigs and Littles working cooperatively creates a climate of achievement, while nurturing a strong mentoring relationship.

The YELLS Afterschool Program offers academic enrichment, homework help, arts and recreational activities, leadership workshops, and character development to school-aged children five days a week.

The YELLS Community Action Cafe teaches teens real-world business and leadership skills as they manage the Café as a hub for community-wide education, engagement, and empowerment.