In the spring of 1995 the staff at Parrish Middle School, in the Salem-Keizer School District, decided they wanted to make a concerted effort to rebuild the school's sense of community after they and students had been displaced for a year of building construction. In Youth was so successful at Parrish Middle School that it has since been implemented at the remaining eight Salem-Keizer middle schools.
Sites are open two days a week, for an hour and a half each day.
Involvement in the program helps students build positive relationships with peers, teachers, volunteers, and other community members. Each school's program is guided by a team of faculty, parents, students, and community resource people. Initially each team surveyed students to determine interests and to aid in the design, structure, and content of the program. Based on these findings, and with the input of students, individual school programs were implemented. Each school works to facilitate the integration of after-school activities with the academic curriculum.