Our Programs

The CLAAE Foundation serves youth ages 5 to 18 through after-school, summer, and expanded learning programs that blend arts, athletics, and enrichment. We build experiences that feel more like a small college campus than a classroom, giving kids room to experiment, collaborate, and grow.

Arts

Our arts programs focus on voice, story, and expression. Young people move from consuming media to creating it.

• Film and Media Production: writing, storyboarding, shooting, and editing original short films.
• Music Creation and Recording: beat-making, songwriting, and audio engineering fundamentals.
• Graphic Design for Merchandise: T-shirts, hats, mugs, and digital graphics.
• Culinary Arts Workshops: cooking basics, kitchen safety, and food-as-community projects.
• 3D Printing and Digital Fabrication: designing and printing game pieces, props, and useful items.

Athletics

Athletics at CLAAE are about confidence, leadership, and joy. We create spaces where kids can move their bodies and build trust, not just chase wins.

• Boys and Girls Flag Football and QB Clinics.
• Soccer clinics and small-sided games.
• Gymnastics and movement-based strength.
• Baseball fundamentals and coordination drills.
• Health, fitness, and wellness education.

Enrichment

Enrichment gives kids the mental tools to think critically, communicate clearly, and understand themselves and others.

• Public speaking, debate, and presentation skills.
• Logic, strategy, and critical thinking through tabletop games and collaborative problem-solving.
• Technology as a tool: introductions to artificial intelligence, digital safety, and creative tech use.
• VR exploration using modern immersive tools.
• Study skills, goal-setting, and academic support woven throughout programs.

Leadership and Workforce Pathways

CLAAE helps older youth move from participants to leaders. We open doors to responsibility, financial literacy, work experience, and community impact.

• Up and Coming Leaders (UCL) Program: a structured leadership track with weekly participation, financial literacy instruction, savings support, and real leadership roles in programs.
• Service projects: at least four hours per month of structured youth-led volunteering and community engagement.
• Vocational exposure: introductory experiences in trades, mechanics, entrepreneurship, and creative careers.
• College and career exploration through trips, mentoring, and one-on-one planning.

Truancy Re-engagement & Attendance Support

CLAAE is developing a supportive, relationship-centered approach to address chronic absenteeism among youth in Allegheny County. The Truancy Re-engagement Program works with students who are disconnected from school or struggling with consistent attendance due to academic, social, emotional, or environmental barriers.

• Weekly check-ins and skill-building sessions with trained interns and staff.
• Home, school, and community coordination to remove barriers affecting attendance.
• Mentorship and goal planning tailored to each youth’s needs, strengths, and future aspirations.
• Flexible programming designed to reintroduce stability, accountability, and positive identity-building.
• Partnership pathways for schools, courts, and community organizations to refer students.

The goal is simple: reconnect students to meaningful learning environments, rebuild confidence, and help them regain momentum academically, socially, and emotionally.

Where We Operate

CLAAE programs run at partner sites and community locations across Allegheny County. Current partners include The Shepherd’s Door in Bellevue, The Cove in Avalon, the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, and other upcoming youth-serving organizations.

Each program is designed to affirm identity, challenge thinking, and help youth imagine futures they never thought possible. With CLAAE, kids do more than attend. They create, build, and lead.