In order for holistic mentorship to work, we strive to connect with our students both in and out of the classroom.
This month, we celebrated opening a new door (literally) to building life-changing relationships with Elevate students.
In case you missed it, Elevate recently received the 2026 Faith & Action Grant from Christian Theological Seminary to fund the creation of a third space for our students to grow. On Sept. 16th, we officially unveiled our newly renovated Impact Center, which now includes a space for students and staff to gather, connect, and thrive.
As we aim to grow our program at the new Impact Center by 25% in the next year, this expansion will allow us to welcome more students into the Elevate family. Students will now have space to meet various needs outside the classroom, including:
- Meeting and planning rooms for conversations with Teacher-Mentors
- A quiet space for homework and studying
- A warm and welcoming space for activities, games, and for students to simply be kids
"We've got an area for more activity, we've got an area to help them study, and it's just always good to have a bigger home base when your family grows. Our family has almost doubled because we have more kids to serve, so now we have more room to help them."
-Remus Woods, Teacher-Mentor
To celebrate the new addition to our Elevate home, we invited students and their families, as well as alumni and community partners, for an open house and family fun event. Partnering organizations such as the Mary Rigg Center and Belisimoda Academy stopped by to offer additional resources for our families. In addition to games, food, and fellowship, attendees also toured the new center to explore the new possibilities it will offer the Elevate family.
Along the way, visitors were invited to share their words of encouragement regarding teamwork, mentorship, and what is possible for Indianapolis youth. Their words of encouragement then decorated the halls at our various vision stations, reminding all of us of the "why" behind our mission - because we know that every student is inherently valuable and capable of success, and together, we can help them overcome the obstacles that stand between them and lifelong wellbeing.
Since day one, our students have been involved in the process of creating this space that they can call a second home. From sharing their hopes for the space to designing the building's mural to helping assemble desks, our students have already begun making their mark on the new Impact Center.
Our goal is to create an extension of the safe and supportive space we provide for our city's underserved youth - a space where students can connect, relationships can grow, and young people can continue to grow into thriving contributors for their community.
"[I'm excited about] Building new connections and being closer to school and to downtown. I feel like more adventure waits for us."
-Rubie, Elevate Class of 2027
Thank you to all who attended the opening of our newly expanded Impact Center, and thank you to Christian Theological Seminary for your generosity in supporting the growth of this crucial space. We cannot wait to share this space with our students, staff, and alumni as we continue striving to meet the unique needs of our community.
A big thank you as well to all of our community partners who joined us for the Elevate Open House!
- Indy Center for Conflict Resolution
- IMPD Nonfatal Shooting Advocates
- CareSource
- MHS Indiana
- Bellissima Academy
- Mary Rigg Community Center
- John Boner Neighborhood Centers
- Indy Peace
- YMCA
We’re grateful for your partnership and for the ways you continue to support our students, families, and community. Thank you for being part of Elevate!
