Please support The L.E.A.D. Foundation and consider a donation to advance our mission.
Read on below to see our program and it's impacts
After School Youth Wellness Programs
The L.E.A.D. Foundation delivers a no cost, evidence based after school wellness program designed to improve youth physical health, education, and personal development across underserved communities in the Capital Region. During Quarter 1 of 2026, L.E.A.D. successfully expanded programming across Troy Middle School and multiple Schenectady City School District elementary schools, providing consistent, structured programming that integrates physical training, nutrition education, and mentorship.
Program Reach & Delivery
●50 middle school students served at Troy Middle School
● Programs in 5 different Schenectady elementary schools (Yates, Hamilton, Keane, Van Corlaer, and Paige). Soon to be all eleven elementary schools!
●Program delivered 100% free of charge, including snacks, water bottles, t-shirts, and bags
Key Outcomes
1. Physical Fitness
●Strength gains: +5% to +34% across participants
●Muscular endurance: Push-up improvements up to +45%
●Core strength: Increased sit-up performance and stability
●Students progressed from minimal ability to functional strength capacity
Key Finding: Students with 40%+ attendance showed the greatest improvements, with top participants reaching 80–95% attendance and the highest performance gains.
2. Nutrition & Health Literacy
●Calories & macronutrients: Up to 100% accuracy
● Average knowledge score: ~90% at tested sites
Students are developing:
● Nutrition label literacy
● Awareness of food composition
● Real-world decision-making skills
3. Attendance & Engagement
Core participants achieved 80–95% attendance rates
Students increasingly view L.E.A.D. as:
●A structured and reliable environment
● A positive outlet for energy and stress
● A consistent part of their routine
4. Leadership & Behavioral Development
●Increased student initiative and leadership
●Stronger peer accountability and encouragement
●Improved focus, discipline, and participation
These outcomes reinforce trends from 2025, where behavioral incidents decreased significantly and student engagement improved long-term.
Why the Model Works
The L.E.A.D. program produces meaningful and measurable results by integrating physical training, education, and mentorship into a unified approach to youth development. Through structured physical training, students achieve measurable performance gains, while the education component increases their knowledge and awareness of health, nutrition, and wellness. At the same time, mentorship fosters confidence, discipline, and leadership development. This multi-dimensional model drives outcomes across physical health, cognitive development, and social and emotional growth. As a result, students are not only improving physically, but also building consistent habits, gaining confidence through progress, and taking greater ownership of their health, behavior, and overall well-being.
