High school students in the Youth Civic Leadership Academy begin classes at CCAC

The Spring 2024 YCLA cohort at CCAC

Local high school students began their studies at CCAC’s Allegheny Campus this month as participants in the Youth Civic Leadership Academy (YCLA). High schools represented in this semester's class include Allderdice, Brashear, City Charter, Keystone Oaks, Obama, Pittsburgh CAPA, Pittsburgh Science and Technical Academy, Propel Schools, The Neighborhood Academy and Urban Pathways. CCAC partners with YCLA to help high school students gain the transferable skills, competencies, and experiential learning necessary to thrive as civic leaders, community stewards, and change-makers in the workplace and beyond. The program is made possible through the leadership of the City of Pittsburgh Office of the Mayor, CCAC, and the other supporting partners—Youth Enrichment Services Inc. (YES), the Heinz History Center and Partner4Work. As part of this immersive and integrative experience, students earn college credits, by also meeting weekly at the Heinz History Center for a CCAC political science course that is specifically designed to support their civic competency. The program provides the students with exposure to city departments, placing them in a circuit-style internship experience over 14 weeks.