FAQs

Level Up Academy is an innovative program created by New Pathways for Youth, built upon 35 years of experience in youth development. Drawing from extensive community engagement, the curriculum is designed to empower students through mentorship, personal growth, and meaningful connections—helping them level up academically, socially, and personally.

Founded in 1989, New Pathways for Youth is a local non-profit that empowers local youth to break the cycle of poverty by providing them the support, stability and skills they need to flourish. Their signature program, Level Up, provides youth with long-term 1-1 mentoring relationships in tandem with proprietary personal development curriculum that is trauma-informed and designed specifically for teens.

In 2023, New Pathways for Youth began partnering with area schools to bring their powerful personal development curriculum to students directly through the classroom with a new program called Level Up Academy. With the support of volunteers who assist as mentors in the classroom, Level Up Academy is expanding to schools across the Valley.

Level Up Academy is a dynamic 10–12-week program offered twice a year at the beginning of each semester in the fall and spring. Classes are an hour long 2–3 days per week.

We bring Level Up Academy right to local high school campuses across the Valley, making it convenient and easy for students and mentors to participate.

Absolutely not! Level Up Academy is completely free for both students and mentors.

Level Up Academy specifically serves youth who live below the poverty line and have high ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), high risk factors (like access to drugs/alcohol, depressive symptoms, family conflict, or peer rejection), and low protective factors (such as limited school/community involvement or low social skills). Students are identified and recommended by school administrators, meaning participation is invitation-only.

Enrollment can happen in two ways: 

  1. A school administrator recommends or invites a student to join the program. 
  2. A school administrator offers Level Up Academy as a required class for a particular grade or group of students. 

Mentors must be 21 or older, complete the Level Up Academy mentor application, and provide a valid photo ID (Driver’s License or other). All mentors will undergo an internal background check once they apply.

You bet! Every mentor completes two trainings before getting started: 

  1. Our self-paced Level Up Academy online training. 
  1. An in-person training at the New Pathways for Youth center. 

We also offer an optional workshop, so our mentors feel even more prepared and supported before they head into the classroom. 

Mentors commit to attending two 1-hour sessions each week over the 10–12-week program. They sit among the students, learn alongside them, and lead small-group activities and discussions. Typically, each mentor works with a group of 4–5 students at a time.

Absolutely! We host three mentor check-ins throughout the program where you can share ideas, swap stories, and build community with fellow mentors. Plus, we send out a post-program survey to gather your insights once the program wraps up.

We understand life can be busy! Let us know your availability when you apply, and we’ll do our best to work with your schedule. Consistency is key for students, so we aim to match mentors to the program days that fit best.

Yes! We love expanding our reach. If you’re a school administrator, teacher, or counselor interested in bringing Level Up Academy to your campus, just reach out to us. Our team can explore how to get your school set up for success. Please email Marisa Arellano at [email protected] to begin the conversation.