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We’re excited to share the latest updates, stories, and opportunities happening at BBAY. Each quarter, we highlight the incredible work happening in our community and keep you in the loop on how we’re building a more connected and supportive Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park for young people.
 Learning Through Joy: Summer Programming
This summer, Elevate Youth! brought young people together for six weeks of free summer learning, enrichment, and relationship-building. Running June 23 through July 30, the program served rising ninth through twelfth graders from Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park.
Grounded in the belief that learning happens through joy, relationships, exploration, and real-world experiences, youth participated in more than 100 hours of opportunities to develop skills, build confidence, explore new interests, and connect with peers and caring adults.
From outdoor adventures and recreational activities to creative arts, digital storytelling, leadership development, and college exploration at North Hennepin Community College, youth helped shape their summer experience while building a stronger sense of belonging.
Summer 2026 at a glance:
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116 youth registered for 120 available spots.
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59 youth participated in the summer program.
- Youth feedback highlighted positive experiences related to safety, relationships with staff, leadership development, and overall program quality.
We are proud of the relationships and experiences created this summer. We are also learning from participation challenges and will continue exploring transportation solutions and youth-centered program improvements to help more young people access future opportunities.
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Looking ahead: Fall programming
Elevate Youth! continues beyond the summer through year-round opportunities that support academic success, youth leadership, and belonging.
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Youth OnBoard (YOB): Youth are developing leadership skills and stepping into decision-making roles across schools, colleges, and community organizations. During the school-year reporting period, 92 youth engaged with YOB, 35 were ready for placement, and 12 were actively serving on decision-making bodies.
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Culturally Responsive Tutoring (CRT): CRT provides identity-affirming academic support that strengthens relationships, confidence, and student self-advocacy. Following programming in Brooklyn Center and at Robbinsdale Cooper High School, expansion to all four ACLG high schools is planned for fall 2026.
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Affinity Groups: These spaces foster belonging, cultural connection, and opportunities for young people to explore identity and build relationships. BBAY is strengthening coordination across groups, with a cross-site Affinity Group Summit planned for spring 2027.
Together, these programs create an integrated pathway for young people to build skills, find community, and influence the systems around them.
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Youth to Youth Survey 2026
Listening to youth. Learning from their experiences. Taking action.
What do young people need to feel safe, supported, connected, and prepared for the future? The 2026 Youth to Youth (Y2Y) Survey is helping BBAY and its partners better understand the experiences, concerns, goals, and aspirations of young people across Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park.
This year, BBAY's Youth Data Squad began its work in June, reviewing previous surveys, exploring trends over time, and helping shape questions that reflect the issues young people want to discuss. Reimagine interns also joined the effort, bringing additional perspectives from their work on Black youth mental health and well-being.
The survey builds on previous topics, including goals and dreams, worries, community engagement, and safety, while exploring additional areas such as school systems, substance use, and impacts on mental health.
Youth voice in action
The Youth Data Squad brings young people into the research process, not just as survey respondents, but as contributors to the questions, data collection, and interpretation of findings. This approach helps ensure the information gathered reflects youth experiences and can guide meaningful community action.
What happens next?
As survey analysis moves forward this fall, BBAY will work to connect findings with community partners and identify actionable priorities. The goal is not simply to understand trends, but to use youth perspectives to strengthen programs, inform decisions, and address the needs young people identify. By listening directly to youth, we can better align community resources and partnerships with what young people say will help them thrive.
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Roadmap to a New Strategic Plan
BBAY is beginning the process of developing a new strategic plan to guide its work in the coming years. Youth voice and community input will be central to this process, with findings from the Youth to Youth Survey helping inform shared priorities. Throughout the fall, BBAY will continue building relationships, promoting opportunities for youth engagement, and exploring ways to strengthen collaboration and accountability across its partners.
This planning process is an opportunity to reflect on BBAY’s impact, identify emerging community needs, and consider how to grow youth leadership while building adult and organizational capacity. Upcoming efforts such as a data party and two strategic planning sessions will focus on developing a shared direction with partners and creating meaningful opportunities for young people to help shape decisions that affect them. Review our 2023-2026 strategic plan here!
Stay Connected with BBAY:
College and Career Pathways Newsletter
Brooklyns Connect (FREE activities and events) Newsletter
RBYMH Newsletter
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