Toussaint Academy of the Arts and Sciences

For homeless teens in San Diego, refuge is often hard to come by. Without a place to call home and ongoing emotional support, these teens can easily become a statistic. However, there is a ray of hope in the San Diego community for high school–age teens who meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines for homelessness. This hope is the Toussaint Academy of the Arts and Sciences (TAAS).

As part of Father Joe’s Villages, TAAS strives to educate and cultivate teens so they can have bright futures despite the disadvantages they have faced. TAAS is the first program of its kind in San Diego County to offer comprehensive care for both education and emotional development to homeless teens.

“The goal is not just for students to receive a high school diploma,” says program director Rick Newmyer. “We’re preparing them for life. We want them to be able to support themselves and have a career.”

True to its word, TAAS has a high success rate, with 95 percent of its students receiving a high school diploma and 100 percent of those with a diploma going on to further education at college or vocational schools.

“We offer more than just core education classes,” says Newmyer. “We offer the support they would receive if they were in a stable home, as well as art, music and dance classes, health classes and life-skills training.”

As part of their education, all students must learn proper work ethics and responsibility. The curriculum includes parttime jobs for those who are 16 and older. Students under 16 participate in volunteer activities in the community. They are also trained in money-management skills so they can sustain themselves. Though their childhoods may have been spent homeless, more than 80 percent are able to find and maintain stable housing after graduation.

TAAS provides housing for approximately 30 students, with classroom accommodations for another 10-15 students who may be living in emergency shelters. In addition to its efforts with its current students, the school provides alumni assistance and even alumni housing for up to five students who are transitioning to college or work.

Newmyer attributes the academy’s success rate to the hardworking staff and to sticking with a program for the children that has proven to be effective. However, TAAS receives only a quarter of its funding needs from government grants. It is up to the students and staff to raise funds every year to keep the school up and running. Donations from the San Diego community not only provide a home for these students, they provide a future. 

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