CAROLINA YOUTH COALITION

Carolina Youth Coalition (CYC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that nurtures and propels high-achieving, under-resourced students to enter, excel in, and graduate from college so they can become full participants in society. Founded in January 2018 by Aaron Randolph and Kathryn Kissam through a generous donation from the Albemarle Foundation, CYC works to improve economic mobility in Charlotte by eliminating barriers to accessing and completing education through a continuum of supports for promising first-generation high school and college students. Low-income students in Charlotte attend four-year universities at rate (26%) that is half that of their more-resourced peers (52%). CYC is modeled after the highly successful efforts of the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition which has grown to become the most comprehensive college readiness program in Baton Rouge, LA and surrounding areas since 2009.

CYC’s programs include:

• Torch Fellows Program -  a free, 10-month after-school program that ensures that 9th through 12th-grade students are academically, socially, and financially prepared to enter their best-fit college. Torch Fellows attend weekly programming throughout the school year centered around college preparation, academic readiness, career exploration, socio-emotional learning, and leadership development. 
• College Persistence Program - Graduates of CYC’s Torch Fellows program transition to becoming College Fellows and are enrolled in the College Persistence Program beginning the summer after high school graduation. College Fellows engage in College transition support, career coaching, mentoring, and emergency financial assistance throughout Fellows' time in college.

 Since 2018, CYC participants, called “Fellows,” have earned over $58 million in gift aid. 63% of Fellows who are attending four-year universities are doing so debt-free. CYC Fellows are attending schools such as Berea College, Brown University, Furman University, Georgetown University, Georgia Tech, Howard University, University of Miami, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, New York University, North Carolina A&T State University, University of Pennsylvania, Queen’s University, Wake Forest University, and many more!