lit youth foundation

Lit Youth was established in 2021 by educator, Saranja Hicks, who had long dreamed of this idea that would allow her to impact the lives of young children in ways that are often limited by a school setting. Many students need instruction that is more adapted to meet the demands of who they are as individual learners, which usually requires a skilled approach towards figuring out each student’s current level of ability, then designing a comprehensive plan for moving them further along the learning continuum. Moreover, the process involves addressing knowledge gaps and barriers to deeper understanding, and requires time that most classroom teachers unfortunately just don’t have. However, through the Lit Youth Foundation, students are able to get the personalized attention to learning that will propel them forward on their journey towards more independent and higher levels of learning.

As an educator and mother of two sons, Saranja is also keenly aware of the disengagement with school that often happens, particularly with male students, and especially with Black boys. She, therefore, wanted to create opportunities for them to (re)engage, take ownership of their learning, and develop as leaders. Thus, the foundation was also born of the idea that by engaging boys of color, and specifically Black boys, in reading texts that are of high interest and relevancy to them, this “rebirth” and self-recognition of their inherent greatness would happen. Hence, the foundation’s B.L.A.C.K. Habits (Building Literacy and Activist Capacity in Kids’ Habits) Book Club came to be.

In essence, Lit Youth was established as a result of Saranja’s desire to empower children to recognize and embrace who they are, while also becoming who and what they want to be; and each program offering has been carefully designed with this purpose in mind.

Master Educators

All of our tutors are certified teachers who are highly skilled in the area of literacy. In addition to the years of experience and training that we bring to the learning process, tutors are well-vetted to make sure that they have the patience and temperament to work most effectively with children. We guide every child with an individual approach to meeting their specific learning needs, while also providing encouragement and building on their strengths; all of which are just as important to nurture in the process.

Courses That Matter

We offer programs that are deeply beneficial to students, and as a result, they have shown remarkable academic growth. In addition, our students’ academic successes have lead to increases in their self-confidence and overall self-esteem.

Affordability

Lit Youth Foundation seeks to make all of its services as affordable as possible. We are also grateful for any and all donations that we receive to help keep costs more manageable for families.
Boy with Book

Our Programs

Our literacy tutoring program provides intensive support through customized instruction that is designed to meet the needs of students who are performing below grade-level benchmarks in reading. This program particularly strengthens the comprehensive development of foundational skills in the areas of reading, writing, vocabulary, and phonology.

Our other program, B.L.A.C.K. Habits (Building Literacy and Activist Capacity in Kids’ Habits) Book Club, is specifically designed to engage Black boys, ages 7–11, in positive learning experiences. Through this book club, we aim to inspire a love of reading, develop the boys’ ability to read with a critical lens, and produce action-oriented learning through a high-quality, culturally relevant curriculum. Each cohort’s experience culminates in a community-based service project that is a direct result of their learning, and is conceived of and lead by the students.

We also offer a summer enrichment camp for young learners in grades 2-5. Our camp offers students the opportunity to connect with other children they may or may not know and engage in unique, enjoyable learning experiences that also include outdoor activities and field trips.