Karen’s Blog: Why We’re Leveling Up
If you’ve been poking around here recently, you may have noticed a new name for our signature teen program and a slick new logo. You may be wondering — why name it? And why Level Up?
When we talk about our work at New Pathways, we talk about how we help young people reach their full potential. It is truly transformative work. So, how do we capture that spirit in a name that resonates with teenagers?
How do we communicate to a young person that our program will help them learn new skills and new ways of thinking and being?
How do we share with them how the support of a dedicated adult will give them a sounding board to talk to and to discover new opportunities for their lives?
How do we excite them about all the possibilities their future holds?
Now, I want to emphasize this point here: we will still be New Pathways for Youth! We are not changing that! What we are naming is something that previously didn’t have a name—the actual teen program. We wanted to create a distinct name for what we do that our youth could be proud of – one that they would be excited to tell their friends about and wear on a T–shirt.
One of the things that most all our youth have in common is that they like to play video games. It can be just as rewarding as it is challenging, with obstacles and victories and new friends along the way. That sounds a lot like our program.
“Level Up” reflects the achievements and the hard work our youth put in every day, not just the outward on-paper achievements, but the ones that are deeply personal, that are not as obvious to the outside world but make all the difference.
At New Pathways, our youth:
Level Up their relationships
Level Up their communication
Level Up their accountability
Level Up their expectations
Level Up their possibilities
Level Up their lives
This name and this concept are something they can own and be proud of. Level Up at New Pathways for Youth will help us continue to grow and to fulfill our mission for the entire community.