IN-SCHOOL

leadership team

Youth leadership team

The Leadership Team requires a well-trained and committed group of young people serving as peer presenters - challenging teens to make healthy choices through skits, panel discussions and dramatic performances. By sharing their personal choices and experiences, they encourage their peers to join the growing movement to avoid risky behaviors. This amazing group of young people is often requested to conduct assemblies, retreats and youth conferences!

Who would have ever known starting in the Excel programs as a summer camper, being a part of GEMS, EYE Club and ultimately the Leadership Team would help prepare me for this leg in my journey?

For this and many more reasons, I am beyond grateful for my Choosing to Excel family! We were ALWAYS challenged to “Keep the End In Mind
— Hadayha, High School Student

Gems

Girls Eagerly Maintaining High Standards

Girls Eagerly Maintaining High Standards (GEMS) is a weekly lunch club that encourages our young ladies to have confidence in who they are and live their life from a place of dignity. Teenage girls are pressured from every direction you can imagine, often creating unhealthy habits and skewed perspectives of themselves. Through field trips, weekend workshops, speakers, and celebratory ceremonies, our goal is to reinforce positivity and confidence while encouraging young women as they walk through their teenage years!

I now know more about my standards to set when going on a date. I know what rules I have and what I’ll do and what I won’t do.
— 10th Grader

MOCQ
Men of Character and Quality

We know that our leaders of tomorrow are sitting in classrooms today. Our heart is to provide our middle school and junior high men with mentors who will invest wisdom and zeal into their lives. A lot of our male teens come from a variety of backgrounds like foster care, two-parent, single-parent, or broken homes. MOCQ bridges the gap for young men by providing mentors, developing healthy relationships, and discussing real-life issues.

In MOCQ I learned to be a generous man and not to treat women bad, and how to be a man really.
— JW

Eye Club
Excel Youth Exceeding

E.Y.E. Club is an organization that brings the GEMS and MOCQ students together. From 10th grade to graduation, students experience a supportive environment in which they can discuss and explore real issues. The discussions are centered around building confidence, healthy relationships, college or “next step” readiness, the success sequence, communication skills, and empowering themselves to be ready for the real world.

We believe in being real and keeping it real to get real results.

I’m so honored that these kids come EVERY Thursday because they WANT to. It blows me away!
— Di’Anka Moton

Oh! Baby
A Hands-On Experience

This program is exactly how it sounds! Our goal is to encourage our teens (7th-12th grade) to think things over and to see the enormous responsibility of teen parenting. Students participate in this program through their school health classes. Students take home an infant simulator for 1-2 nights to get a taste for what parenting is all about. They also have the option to write a 10 page research paper.

Student’s grades are determined by the quality of care they gave to the stimulator or how well they research the assigned topic.

Even though the baby stressed me out all night, this experience showed me that I’m not ready to have a child. It shows what struggles you would face, at this age, with a child.
— 10th grader

Mentoring
mentoring for grades 5–12

Have you had someone make a difference in your life? Most of us have had mentors and encouragers, pushing us to reach higher. We want to be this for our teens! Through mentoring, our goal is to be a strong support system for students, believing in them and verbalizing the gold in their life. Our mentors are trained, equipped, and required to go through a background test before they begin working with our teens. Students who go through this program see significant positive differences in attitude, school attendance, grades, and behavioral issues.

Men-tor
men taking our responsibility

100 Men Campaign

 

CHARACTER EDUCATION
for grades 8–12

Choosing to Excel has dedicated over 30 years to helping shape history through promoting strong character. Choosing to Excel's character education programs collaborate with local elementary schools to teach students about essential life skills and values that go beyond the blackboard.

 

In-Class PRESENTATIONS
for grades 8–12

We strive to bring a well-balanced experience to each classroom. Focusing on character building, optimal health and risk avoidance; we have planted seeds of positive impact in communities all across the great state of Arkansas and beyond.

I love meeting with my Mentor Cassie, she has become one of my best friends. Since we’ve been meeting, our relationship has gotten deeper and I feel more connected with her. She has helped me with improving my grades and I’m feeling so much better about myself. I hope she never leaves.
— Mentee
 
 
 
 
Even if our circumstances aren’t ideal, we all need a little arrow to show us if we’re hitting our target or not.”
— MENTEE
 
I love it because not only am I helping someone else, but I have been blessed as well. I have learned how to be a better person, father and friend.”
— Aaron west

COMMUNITY

 

Healthy Families america
supporting pregnant and parenting families

Excel’s vision for healthy youth reaches far outside the classroom! The Healthy Families of America (HFA) is a free program that empowers pregnant and parenting families to achieve their full potential.

Participants have group meetings once a month with all the families in the program. Moms receive free diapers and wipes for attending meetings and gas cards for finding their own transportation.

  • Assists mothers/families in completing medical applications

  • Assistance in obtaining a Primary Care Physician (PCP)

  • Provides transportation assistance to prenatal and well-baby checkups

  • Aids in continuing/completing educational aspirations (High School, Trade School, College, etc)

  • Helps moms transition into independent living

  • Assists in childcare enrollment

  • Educates parents on child development and positive parenting practices

  • Offers referrals to community resources

the mommy store

The Mommy Store is available with essentials like diapers, books, safety kits, and baby clothes!

Back when Dani was helping me, I knew I had Dani to call on. She was always present when I needed someone to lean on and she went out of her way to make sure my baby and I were taken care of. If she could not provide services, she would find someone who could.
— Healthy Families Parent

Summer Impact
A 5-week summer experience

Our summer camp includes a reading program, field trips, exciting activities and small group sessions designed to encourage outstanding character!

Stay tuned for Summer Impact 2022!

The Arkansas Out of School Network, the Arkansas Campaign for Grade Level Reading, and AETN joined together to recognize Choosing to Excel Program as a Summer Learning “Bright Spot”
— AETN

T4P
Training for Purpose

T4P is an afterschool opportunity to provide youth the opportunity to strengthen their body and mind while developing healthy relationships in a safe and positive environment. Students receive mentoring and academic support and learn responsible decision-making. Each youth is matched with a mentor throughout the program.

If I wasn’t here, I would be at home smoking weed. I usually smoke before my Mom gets home. Because I’m here working out and learning life skills, my Mom is already there by the time I get home so I can’t smoke! T4P is helping me to quit smoking.
— 10th Grader