Youth Equipped to Succeed

A connected student is a protected student.® 

This is What HOPE Looks Like

Maria had always kept her feelings to herself. She poured them into her drawings instead, pages and pages of them, because to her, talking felt too dangerous. She had social anxiety. She was being bullied because of it. Walking into a YES assembly, she felt scared and alone. 

But something shifted that day. A YES speaker stood up and told a story that sounded a lot like hers. Maria felt seen for the first time in a long time. When it was over, she worked up the courage to tell the YES speaker something she never said to anyone: "I was scared before. But now I can tell a teacher." For a girl who had always stayed quiet, that was the beginning of something different. 

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25 Years of Creating Connection in Student's Lives

Because of donors like you, YES has spent 25 years meeting students wherever they are with one conviction: that every student deserves to feel seen, valued, and connected. In an environment where youth mental health is a recognized national crisis, that conviction has never mattered more. 

This year, YES celebrates 25 years of showing up for students who needed change in their lives. To celebrate, would you consider giving $25 or 25% above your normal gift? That increase goes directly to students who need hope and connection.

Like Maria, every student has a moment of change waiting for them. Each gift of $50, $100, $250, or $500 creates those moments for a student to say no to bullying, substance abuse, unhealthy relationships, depression, and more. 

You can see the incredible impact we have made in the lives of thousands of students in the last year alone:

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This North Texas Giving Day, Your Gift is DOUBLED

Thanks to a generous $50,000 challenge match, every dollar you give this North Texas Giving Day is matched, making twice the impact in a student's life. This is your moment to make a gift that multiplies. 100% of our donations go toward equipping students, parents, and educators. 

Because of our generous donors, a student who feels invisible finds inspiration to find their voice. A teenager who was heading toward isolation finds a mentor who sees their potential. A parent learns how to have the conversation they have been afraid to start.

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How YES Reaches Students

Through three core programs, YES meets students exactly where they are:

Motivational Experiences bring powerful school assemblies where speakers share their own real stories, helping students say YES to their goals and no to destructive choices.

Wellness Education brings research-based programs into schools that tackle the critical issues like mental health, bullying, unhealthy relationships, substance abuse, and more, all delivered in a way that is interactive and age-appropriate.  

Student Mentoring builds connection and resilience through YES's unique in-school mentoring model.

YES also equips parents and educators with free resources including the Motivational Moments Mini-Video Series and the monthly Connections E-Newsletter.