Statewide, Hillside Family of Agencies services youth and families. Their partnerships extend to many in need, and in the city of Syracuse, the advocacy group's relationship with inner city youth is being credited for helping push more of those students across the finish line. Recently, the Syracuse City School District announced a high school graduation rate of 77% for 2021. 

Administrators say those improved numbers are due in part to the 25 years of whole child support Hillside provides Syracuse students, which comes with fun as well as hard work and study. 

City youth under Hillside get to enjoy some roller skating in between tutoring and job training at the support facility. Call it work-life balance, which program directors say is an important part of well-rounded upbringing.

“Part of being a whole child is allowing them to be a child, you know. So enrichment activities is a huge part of the work that we do,” said Karinda Shanes, Hillside Work Scholarship Connection regional executive director.

High school senior Emory Jones appreciates the skating as an outlet and a different way to look at life.

“I’ve been working with Hillside since seventh grade. So I've been in Hillside for a total of six years and at first, I wasn't really too keen on going to school after graduation. I was struggling with math at the time during seventh grade. Like it was very hard. It was doing my equations and stuff. So they helped me with tutoring and they helped me get a better grade in math,” said Jones.

“We have youth advocate specialist supervisors that are in the schools day in and day out trying to help kids with any obstacles that they have,” said Shanes.

Those obstacles were no stranger to 10th grader Jai'Lynn Holloman, who said Hillside played a huge role in clearing his own path towards greater success in and out of the classroom.

“Outside of school doors, they’re definitely helping you out. You can stay in contact with advocates. They definitely get you on the right path to graduate high school, get a degree and start a successful life. A big breath of fresh air; definitely very helpful. And it's kind of like a reward for all the hard work that we put into their programs," said Holloman. 

“We have to look at what their living arrangements are. Do they have food? Do they have a place where you know they have as a safe zone? We're able to offer them caring adults, we're able to offer them a place where they have a safe zone to come to as well as staff that's with them every day in the school, day in and day out,” said Shanes. 

The safe zone that Jones has found at Hillside has motivated him to finish high school and use his passions to pursue a degree in graphic arts.

“I love to draw, I love to draw anime, realistic stuff. I love to shade, I love like all the art aspects,” said Jones. 

“Emory might not have been interested in going to school and might not been interested in furthering his education. But once he realized that there's somebody that could believe in him and there's somebody that could help him navigate the steps so he can do it and believe in himself. We teach them to bet on themselves,” said Shanes. 

Jones is looking at a number of schools and their art programs.

“I’m looking at UB, University of Buffalo, Alfred University. Pratt Institute and SCAD [Savannah College of Art and Design] and Syracuse University, too. Hillside helped me get a better perspective. It could help me get a better job with going to school, get a better degree, it helped me get out there in the world," said Jones.

“I am grateful to our partners at Hillside for their steadfast support for our students through the years. Hillside Youth Advocates and staff provide academic support, job readiness skills, and even long-term mentoring for our students. They help guide and support our students, motivating them to achieve their goals – which, for our high school students – begin with graduation," said Syracuse City Schools Superintendent Alicea.