University of Miami Academy

The Children and Youth Law Clinic is a key partner, along with UM’s School of Education and Human Development, in the First Star University of Miami Academy – a holistic college prep program for youth impacted by the child welfare system. Foster youth can get tuition waived at Florida state colleges, but lacking the skills, study habits and support, foster youth inevitably drop out. First Star’s goal is to change that and lay a foundation for success.

Launched in the summer of 2017, the UM Academy accepts rising 9th graders to participate in four years of Academy programming with a focus on academics, life-skills and caregiver support. The goal of the University of Miami Academy is to keep youth on track for high school graduation and prepare them for higher education and adulthood. The Children and Youth Law Clinic and the School of Education and Human Development are involved in all aspects of program design and implementation, with involvement by faculty and students in both schools.