America's Promise Alliance

"Together we can - and we will - prepare children and youth for college, work and life."

- General Colin Powell

Sylacauga, Alabama

Community name: Sylacauga
Community or city website
Population: 12,749
Graduation rate: 87%
Youth poverty rate: 28.2%

Overview

Sylacauga’s continued dedication to its youth through family enhancement, community involvement and health education programs earned it a spot on the 2011 100 Best Communities for Young People list. A fifth-time winner of this competition, Sylacauga’s emphasis on service resulted in local high school students completing 34,000 volunteer hours this year. Additionally, Sylacauga’s Promise’s awareness efforts helped increase enrollment in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. The Sylacauga GROWS community garden produced over 2,600 pounds of vegetables for families in the area. Sylacauga now graduates 87 percent of students.

Community Programs

The Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement (SAFE) helps provide access to resources that help improve family life; its Family Services Center provides opportunities for families to contribute to the growth of the community.
The BRIDGES after-school program offers youth development activities and has expanded to church and school sites, including Saturday School and summer school.
The SAFE Children of Prisoners program targets incarcerated fathers and encourages them to develop and maintain relationship with their children, as well as supports them as they re-enter society.
Prevention strategies like First Tee and Too Good for Drugs and Violence have served over 350 youth.
Sylacauga’s Promise conducted a media campaign in 2000 to increase enrollment in SCHIPS, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which increased enrollment by 30 percent in one year.
The Get Healthy Talladega County campaign and its key component, the Wellness, Academics and You (WAY) initiative, work to teach students the importance of nutrition and exercise.
The AGGIE VOLS (Volunteering Our Lives in Sylacauga) is a service-learning course where students can earn community service hours by volunteering at the library, schools, and more.
The Sylacauga GROWS community garden initiative has produced over 2,600 pounds of vegetables utilizing over 10,000 hours of volunteer service.

Youth Voices

Growing up in Sylacauga has made me who I am today. The small town atmosphere, and the programs and events this town offers are what make it so special.

—Anonymous

No person is left behind in Sylacauga; every citizen of our small town has the other’s back. Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement, better known as SAFE, is an organization that works to its fullest potential to make sure that the lives of people in my small town have the best available resources to improve family life.