Niara Academy

The Niara Academy is an enrichment program developed for high school and college students. The name “Niara” is Swahili for “one with high purpose.” Project Optimism understands the need for historically underserved students to not only have extracurricular outlets, but to engage in personal reflection and developmental training. This eight-week program incorporates elements of the Social Change Model of Leadership, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Chickering’s Seven Vectors Theory to assist students in living in congruence of their authentic selves, and to developing a plan to be a predictive contributor to society.