Family Shift: Sa’Niya W.

“StepUp is a place where I have fun but also learn about things that apply to real life.”

Sa’Niya W. is a middle schooler who has found a safe and supportive place in StepUp Ministry's Youth and Young Adult Program. Sa'Niya and her family are soon-to-be graduates of StepUp’s Empower 48 Program, a 48-week program designed for individuals and families seeking to build a stable future through accountability, mentorship, and personal development.

As a young person navigating her early teens, Sa’Niya is a participant in StepUp’s Middle Ground Program, which caters to children aged five to fifteen. Her favorite part of the program is Teen Talk, where a smaller group setting allows discussions about topics affecting adolescents to happen, with StepUp's staff present to make these discussions fun and engaging. Sa’Niya’s favorite hands-on activity has been the dirt cake math lesson, where she loved using fractions to measure ingredients and, of course, getting to eat what she made helped her enjoy the learning process even more!

“I enjoy the team-building activities that allow my friends and me to discuss real-life situations in a safe environment. Through StepUp, I have learned to be more comfortable around others, and I’m more confident in expressing my opinions and embracing who I am."

While her family’s upcoming StepUp graduation is a significant step for her whole family, Sa’Niya does not see it as the end of their StepUp story at all. Her parents will stay involved through the StepUp Alumni Program, and Sa’Niya says that her goal is to continue growing while applying all the skills she has learned over the past year in her daily life.

“StepUp has had a positive impact on my entire family. It helps my family manage money, find jobs, and cope with their emotions. Everyone has become more tolerant and better able to manage things.”