High school students living in poverty face many obstacles to academic success.

Impact NWs Social and Support Services for Educational Success (SSSES) program supports struggling adolescents ages 12 to 17 — particularly those who are at risk of dropping out, attending alternative schools, and those who have low rates of school attendance — to help these youth remain in and/or go back to school.

Social support has been identified as an important characteristic of resiliency in youth and is likely to promote academic achievement and positive educational outcomes for at-risk students. Impact NW’s Social Support Services for Educational Success program helps troubled teens improve their self control, develop better conflict resolution skills, and communicate more effectively with adults and peers. Through counseling and group activities we help them feel more empowered to become involved in their community, encourage academic excellence, teach them to say “no” to negative peer pressures, and strengthen their sense of self-confidence.