We help Northside Youth Reach their Full Potential!

We work to have impact based on our initiative goals of: 

  • Promoting healing, connection, identity and wellbeing
  • Supporting future orientation
  • Maintaining school success

Our goal is to create an environment where youth feel they can reach their full potential, envision a successful future, feel connected to a community, and build on their cultural identity. We utilize Search Institutes asset measures to assess our youth. Through staff observation and our survey, we monitor our Scholars’ sense of connection, wellbeing, future-orientation and identity as a primary aspect of 21st CA’s purpose. We partner with the University of Minnesota through UROC to design evidence-based models and community-engaged evaluation practices. 

We work to shine a strength-based spotlight on our efforts to hear the story of our participants and design our engagements to be most effective.

We promote connection, wellbeing and value

In our most recent survey 100% of our Scholars reported feeling safe and having trusting relationships with the staff at Liberty. 80% report seeing themselves having an influence on others. 80% report feeling like they are or will improve their community. Connection, security, a sense of contributing to something bigger than themselves, and a sense that their cultural identity is important are positive indicators of wellbeing.

We instill future orientation

90% of our Scholars say they see themselves doing something important in their future. 100% of our Scholars from 4th grade through high school report that they always or sometimes believe they will go to college. While many are concerned about the cost being a barrier, they all have concrete plans for what they would study and what they want to be. From the littles to the high school scholars, some of the career aspirations include becoming an anesthesiologist, a doctor, a police officer, a teacher, and a therapist. Now it’s our job to help them get there!

We support success in school

Most of our Scholar grades are As, Bs, and Cs. And there were more As and B’s this year compared to last year. With the right support, our Scholars are excited about learning. 100% of our Scholars who stay engaged with 21st CA stay in school, graduate and attend college!

At Liberty, we know we cannot “program” our way out of the effects of marginalization in North Minneapolis. It is only through authentic engagement and a healing-centered approach that we will find a way forward. Find out more about how we work with youth in a holistic, healing ways.

How We Work

Making it grow at 21st Century Academy

21st Century Academy Logic Model

Learn more about how we believe we will have impact with the Scholars most in need of support.

21st CA logic model Apr 2025