Our Services
What We Do
Oakland County Youth Educational Services is a program that is in direct response to the growing number of young people that are either academically failing or graduating high school and face a lack of employment and/or postsecondary education options. The goal of the program is to identify youth who are going to have a turbulent transition to adulthood and offer positive support systems to avoid the pitfalls that can derail their lives. The focus is slightly different at each level, but the goal remains the same; empower the young person to make positive changes in his/her life.
Oakland County Youth Educational Services will focus on the following groups of youth:
- Youth in middle school (ages 11 - 14)
- Youth in high school (ages 14 - 17)
- Youth who have graduated (ages 17 - 25)
Oakland County Youth Educational Services focuses on the following services to support youth:
Tutoring Services
Oakland County Youth Educational Services provides tutoring in the following academic areas.
Math
Math is the backbone for all Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and many other fields. As the nationwide demand for high performing STEM professionals and other professional fields steadily increases, so will the demand for workers with strong math skills.
Middle School Math
- Order of Operations
- Proportions
- Integer Operations
- Solving Equations
- Measures of Central Tendency and Variability
- Percents
- Substitution
Pre-Algebra
- Integers
- Equations
- Factors and Fractions
- Rational Numbers
- Ratio, Percent and Proportion
- Equations and Inequalities
- Functions and Graphing
- Right Triangles
- Two-Dimensional Figures
- Three-Dimensional Figures
- Statistics and Probability
- Polynomials and Non-linear Functions
- Variables
- Exponents and Powers
Algebra
- Algebra Language
- Real Numbers
- Linear Equations
- Linear Inequalities
- Polynomials
- Factoring
- Quadratic Functions
- Exponential Functions
- Rational Equations
- Radical Expressions
- Statistics
- Probability
Reading/Language Arts
Strong reading skills are the foundation for every academic subject.
Develop basic reading skills: phonemic awareness, sight word recognition, phonics, and word analysis.
Assist students in understanding the seven reading strategies:
- activating, inferring, monitoring-clarifying, questioning, searching-selecting, summarizing, and visualizing-organizing
- Teach students to scan for relevant information when conducting research to find the main idea of text
- Examine a text’s structure
- Knowledge Integration – apply knowledge learned to other academic subjects.
- Recognize text complexity.
Guide students in annotation by directing them to do more than highlight or underline. Encourage students to have a conversation with the text by jotting notes on the text while reading—this keeps students engaged and often increases comprehension. Annotations can include:
- Defining new words
- Asking questions
- Coding recurring words and themes
- Making personal connections to the text
- Citing current events
- Highlighting heading and subheadings
- Summarizing paragraphs
- Chunking
- Categorizing information
- Numbering and ordering
- Drawing pictures
College Readiness
Prepare students to enter college by developing skills to take college entrance exams:
- ACT (American College Test)
- SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test)
Assist students in developing the following college readiness skills:
TIME MANAGEMENT
Prepare a weekly schedule that includes time in class, studying, activities, work, meals, study, and time with friends. Being a college student is like having a full-time job.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Regular exercise, adequate rest, good nutrition, prayer and/or meditation are all suggested ways of engaging in self-care that reduces stress. Finding ways to increase coping resources will help students decrease the stressors that life will throw your way.
STUDY SKILLS
Even some of the best high school students have not always developed good study skills. Knowing how to read a textbook, take notes in class, use the library, and take multiple choice tests are all areas that will help you be more successful in the classroom.
MONEY MANAGEMENT
It is important to have experience in independently handling money, balancing a check book, using an ATM, reading a bank statement, and learning to make responsible decisions about living on a budget.
ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS
Speak up for yourself in an assertive manner that is not aggressive or passively allowing others to take advantage of you. Assertiveness skills are helpful in roommate communication, study groups, teams, and conflict resolution. They also involve learning and practicing healthy boundaries.
WELL-DEVELOPED SELF CARE SKILLS
Develop bedtimes based on physical need and health. Adequate sleep and a healthy diet can improve mood, athletic and classroom performance, and coping strategies for stress. Exercise, relaxation, and good hygiene are also important aspects of self-care.
KEEPING SAFE AND AVOIDING RISKY BEHAVIORS
Staying safe means learning to advocate for your well being. It means making smart and low-risk choices and planning for the “what ifs” in life.
SEEKING ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED
A big part of advocating for yourself is knowing when to ask for help. The college years are a time for learning new information, new life skills and a new way of relating with our world. Seeking help when you need it is a sign of strength and integrity, not an admission of failure.
RESPECTING THE RULES AND POLICIES
Every community has rules and policies on a college campus. Rules and policies apply to safety and fostering a positive community where all students are respectful of themselves, others, and the environment.
DISPLAYING HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND PERSEVERANCE
Learning to incorporate personal values and ethics into every aspect of life is a significant part of personal growth during the college experience. Part of the path of integrity is learning how to hang in there and stay committed to goals even when situations are challenging.
Career Readiness
What is basic career readiness?
Career readiness is the process of preparing students of any age with the essential skills they need to find, acquire, maintain, and grow within a job. Career readiness includes such important topics as communication. critical thinking and emotional intelligence.
Students should have the option whether to pursue a career after high or go directly into college. Oakland County Youth Educational Services will assist each student in defining what type of job/career that they would like to pursue by creating a career plan.
There are many professional trades that students can pursue and earn a living wage without attending college. Students can earn industry certifications that are recognized by employers.
Following are the Competencies of Career Readiness
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems. The individual can obtain, interpret, and use knowledge, facts, and data in this process, and may demonstrate originality and inventiveness.
Oral/Written Communications: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms to persons inside and outside of the organization. The individual has public speaking skills; can express ideas to others; and can write/edit memos, letters, and complex technical reports clearly and effectively.
Teamwork/Collaboration: Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers representing diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints. The individual can work within a team structure and can negotiate and manage conflict.
Digital Technology: Leverage existing digital technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. The individual demonstrates effective adaptability to new and emerging technologies.
Leadership: Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals and use interpersonal skills to coach and develop others. The individual can assess and manage his/her emotions and those of others; use empathetic skills to guide and motivate; and organize, prioritize, and delegate work.
Professionalism/Work Ethic: Demonstrate personal accountability and effective work habits, e.g., punctuality, working productively with others, and time workload management, and understand the impact of non-verbal communication on professional work image. The individual demonstrates integrity and ethical behavior, acts responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind, and can learn from his/her mistakes.
Career Management: Identify and articulate one’s skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences relevant to the position desired and career goals and identify areas necessary for professional growth. The individual can navigate and explore job options, understands, and can take the steps necessary to pursue opportunities, and understands how to self-advocate for opportunities in the workplace. Create a resume that is specific to each job description. Practice effective interviewing skills.
Global/Intercultural Fluency: Value, respect, and learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. The individual demonstrates openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people and understand individuals’ differences.
Certifications/Credentials:
Oakland County Youth Educational Services will assist students in gaining the skills to earn credentials/certifications in:
Information Technology:
- Microsoft Office Professional