Skuza, JenniferTzenis, JoannaSheldon, Timothy2013-10-152013-10-152009https://hdl.handle.net/11299/158292The Minnesota CYFAR Sustainable Communities Project is focused on strengthening the ability of middle school aged youth to set and achieve short and long-term educational goals by using an innovative and organic afterschool program model that is highly experiential. The aim of the program is to help youth own their learning by igniting their interest in education and to work with parents and guardians to support them in their role as their child's first educator. This impact report describes the program model and the educational resources we used to develop it. It also highlights some of the promising early results, along with the resources developed during the project’s first year. There are also find descriptions of the communities, youth, and parents this project serves.en-USeducational goalsMiddle Schoolafter school programsparent educationparent engagementstudent engagementsciencetechnologyReport