Success For All Youth

History Success of All Youth (SAY) developed following a series of Community Cafés that outlined the community's aspirations to ensure that every young person in Oak Park and River Forest was supported through the developmental years to reach his or her full potential. Communityworks provided initial funding from grants and in 2014 partnered with the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation, to host a Design Institute. Over 100 representatives from the community attended. Participants decided to use a coordinated, systems-based approach built on input gathered at the Community Cafés. 
 The Design Institute included an introduction to Strive Together, a national organization that provides a guide to map the success of youth from cradle to career. Facilitators from Strive Together and the Community Foundation outlined a plan for our community's initiative, which became SAY. 
 There is strong momentum across Oak Park and River Forest to embrace SAY. All three public school districts, our early childhood sector, leadership from both villages, social impact agencies, faith-based organizations and the Community Foundation built the SAY framework. Leaders from these varied sectors collaborated to create SAY’s vision and mission, and established goals and objectives for our youth at every stage of development. Our Communities OUR PARTNERS Oak Park and River Forest strive to create communities where every child/youth is empowered to reach her/his full potential and where race/ethnicity, family income/education, gender/sexual orientation, and learning style are not barriers to achievement. The Village of Oak Park shares its eastern border, Austin Boulevard, with the West Side of the city of Chicago. The Village of River Forest lies just west of Oak Park. With a total population of 51,988 people, Oak Park is the 29thlargest municipality in Illinois. River Forest has a population of 11,088. Oak Park is known for its architecture and diversity while River Forest is home to Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. River Forest K-8 School District 90 has two elementary schools (K-4) and a middle school (5-8). One of the elementary schools as well as the middle school have been awarded the National Blue Ribbon of Distinction. Oak Park School District 97 has 8 elementary schools (K-5) and 2 middle schools (6-8). Both communities share one (9-12) Oak Park River Forest High School District 200.