THEIR DESIRE TO IMPACT THIS WORLD.
One of the most fulfilling ways to feel that impact is by watching the beneficiaries of that impact excel in their lives—and making their own ripple of change in the world.
Like a successful rocket launch into space, So Kids SOAR (Formerly Dreams For Kids DC) understands the many components our youth with disabilities need to flourish. The name So Kids SOAR (SKS) not only reflects their refreshed vision and expansion (the organization rebranded in 2022), but there is also a meaningful duality to the word SOAR. Within the acronym, each of the letters serve a purpose – to take you on a journey through the organization. Within all of their programming, the goal for SKS’ youth is to Strive, Own, Achieve and ultimately Realize their full potential.
“Kids with disabilities often already experience isolation due to the lack of adaptive options for engaging with other children,” said Glenda Smith, the Executive Director of So Kids SOAR who has served at the helm of the organization for 11 years. “When the pandemic started, we pivoted to ensure that our kids would continue to experience the sense of community and support they get through our programs. What we didn’t realize is how vast our community was, and could be. With a clear goal of looking to achieve what’s possible, So Kids SOAR was born.”
So Kids SOAR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has offered in-person clinics to youth in the Greater Washington DC community for over a decade. Since its founding in 2009, SKS has served over 1,200 youth, thanks to a dynamic community of 2,200 volunteers, dozens of corporate partners, an all-volunteer Board of Directors that also serves as auxiliary staff, and the generosity of hundreds of donors. It offers free in-person and digital programs like athletic clinics (from waterskiing to yoga) and social activities (proms and talent shows); and mentorship opportunities for youth aged 4-30. In 2017, Glenda conceptualized a new program named “Your Path to Success”, an extensive mentorship program that empowers older youth with disabilities to learn valuable life skills and secure gainful employment.
Your Path To Success is the program that truly shows the trajectory of what SKS’ participants are capable of when given the right tools (and mentors) to succeed. The program concept derived from the need to provide young adults with disabilities with resources to expand and grow after their time in SKS’ adaptive clinics.
Over the course of three-months, the program offers participants both skill building workshops on topics such as resume development, interviewing, and formal e-mail communication as well as off-site group community service projects, site visits to places that employ those with disabilities, and opportunities to network.
Participants walk away with meaningful relationships, new confidence, and real skills that allow them to pursue independence and employment. And most importantly, make THEIR mark and impact on the world. The employment-population ratio for persons with a disability has slowly increased from 17.8% in 2011 to 19.1 percent in 2021 (https://www.bls. gov/opub/ted/2022/19-1-percent-of-people with-a-disability-were-employed-in-2021.htm) A large proportion of persons with a disability— about eight in 10—were not in the labor force in 2018, compared with about three in 10 of those with no disability. “We want to contribute to economic growth by utilizing a sector of the population that has trouble finding employment… and giving them the training and resources they need to succeed,” said Smith. Your Path To Success is SKS’ answer to helping these young adults find personal and financial independence.
As a mother of a vivacious 3-year old girl and energetic 1-year old boy, Glenda understands the need for proper youth programming all too well. Her family has given her a new drive and passion for helping her SKS youth see their potential to fruition.
“It’s been incredible to see how much our kids have grown through our programs,” said Smith. “Getting to witness that growth is one of the greatest joys of my job. Our kids have learned valuable new skills, realized their individual abilities, and gained remarkable self confidence. We have evolved so much together. I learn just as much from them as they do from me.”
Smith has been a one woman show since 2011, driving all of the programming with support from volunteers and the Board of Directors. But it doesn’t seem that she will be the only staff member for long. “The most exciting development over the past year is that we have carved out funding to hire our own Your Path To Success (YPTS) graduates. We first test ran this idea in 2021 by hiring our 2020 YPTS
graduate Patrick to teach adaptive cooking clinics to his peers and younger kids with disabilities. We are hoping to hire one of our 2022 graduates to be a programs officer starting in 2023. It really just shows you how full circle our mission has come and what can happen when you invest in youth.”
As for the future? Smith plans to take the nonprofit’s impact international. She aspires to build on the global reach it achieved through the virtual programming introduced in 2020 by expanding its in-person programming presence to new U.S. cities and abroad over the next 5-years.
Programs Coordinator
Kierra Johnson, a 2022 graduate of SKS’s vocational program ‘Your Path To Success,’ was hired as the organization’s part-time Programs Coordinator in January 2023. In her first year with SKS, she’s achieved remarkable success, including television appearances, obtaining her driver’s license, and completing an advanced statistics professional development course at Montgomery College. Before joining SKS, Kierra graduated from Montgomery College in 2019 and continued her education at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, earning a bachelor’s degree in math in 2022. Kierra, a former college basketball athlete who played for Montgomery College and St. Mary’s, also holds a gold medal from the Special Olympics USA Games. Due to her outstanding performance, SKS is thrilled to announce that Kierra will be transitioning to a full-time role as the SKS Programs Analyst in January 2024, reflecting her dedication and contributions to the organization.
About So Kids SOAR: So Kids SOAR, a not-for profit section 501(c)(3), provides life-changing programs that empower youth with physical and developmental disabilities to Strive, Own, Achieve and Realize their potential. We enable participants to SOAR through a suite of adaptive programming that includes athletic, recreational, and skill-building activities. The self-confidence and skills gained through these
programs inspire each child to realize that their disability will not prevent them from fulfilling their potential.
Our all-volunteer Board of Directors serves as our governing body and executive committee, guiding us in aligning our activities with our overall mission and strategic vision. Thanks to their guidance, SKS has developed successful programs, processes, and is poised for growth. Your vision and dedication made SKS into one of the leading organizations in the DMV providing programming for youth with disabilities.
