J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center’s Executive Director, Keith Neal, believes that comprehensive service programs provide a vehicle for enhancing education and employment opportunities, helping youth set achievable and meaningful goals for their lives, and providing an infrastructure to develop decision making skills and foster empowered thinking and behaviors. In order to meet the needs of the community the Center provides comprehensive programs and services that connect youth to tutoring, homework help, advanced training, college preparation, college visits, employment training & opportunities; provide recreation and social skills; and improve occupational and literacy skills. The Center has a number of programs and services.

     The J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center’s After School Homework Help program provides comprehensive after school activities that are fun & help youth achieve success in school and life. The Center’s programs offer both an academic and an enrichment component every day. The academic component includes activities like tutoring, homework help and assistance in academic content areas. Participants have structured homework time, tutoring, and computer lab activities. Enrichment includes recreation, technology, art, dance, sports, prevention activities, etc. Dinner and snacks are served everyday.

     The After School Program provides a mix of academic, recreational and cultural activities for youth in grades K-5 after school, summer, and during holidays. These services set the stage for success as participants continue their learning – ultimately becoming productive citizens. Service delivery is divided into three categories: education; health/nutrition; and recreation. This is accomplished by offering high-quality activities that stimulate curiosity and creativity, including educational enrichment, cultural arts, and recreation; providing hot and nutritious meals; and setting high behavioral expectations and standards for youth.

After School Program

     J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center assist youth in strengthening academic performance through academic daily homework sessions, one hour s day. We also provide wholesome use of free time and create an environment for artistic expression, growth and development while foresting creative thinking. Provided as a skill based enrichment program, classes are offered as open art, one on one art and special art projects.

No Child Left Behind Tutoring

     The J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center offers after school tutoring. Our objective is to realize measurable improvement on testing between a pre and post test taken by the students. Students in grades 3-8 are eligible to receive 24 hours of tutoring. Middle School students will attend three two-hour tutoring sessions for eight weeks. Staff will collaborate with parents to develop an Improvement Achievement Plan for the child that includes academic goals, timeline, and assessment.

Summer Life Enrichment Program

     In 2008 the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center created a program on the theme of Science Technology Recreation Engineering Art Mathematics (S.T.R.E.A.M). The students experience variety of daily activities and weekly field trips. Daily activities include a balance of academics and extracurricular activities. Children will receive a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The program is FREE for those who are TANF eligible.

Lead The Way

     Lead The Way is a local organization that partners with the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center. Lead The Way provides educational enrichment and internship opportunities for students with physical, sensory or learning disabilities. Several activities include exposure to mentors and role models with disabilities, tutoring, homework help, self-advocacy, leadership opportunities, post-secondary awareness, workforce development, and summer employment.

     In 1965 a few volunteers of the Oakley Baptist Church began working with a group of boys of the Church and Community, providing them with regular supervised recreational activities in the gymnasium of the Church, located at 64 South Highland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio. Those evenings together began to attract other youth, boys and girls, and it was recognized by the Church's pastor, Dr. Jacob Julian Ashburn, that here was a golden opportunity to provide them with the kind of experience that would be meaningful in their growth and development.

     To meet this challenge, with the support of the Church, Dr. Ashburn founded a Youth Center - J. Ashburn, Jr. Youth Center (JAJYC) - named in honor of his father, the Rev. Jacob Ashburn, Jr., who served as pastor of the Oakley Avenue Baptist Church 1917 - 1955, and whose ministry inspired many a youth useful, productive participation in the American society and world community. Dr. Jacob Julian Ashburn served as the Executive Director for the JAJYC from its founding in 1965 until his death in 1984.

     Upon his death, the JAJYC's Board of Directors appointed Mrs. Jaymes O. Saunders, former Center Social Worker who worked closely with Dr. Ashburn from the beginning of the establishment of the JAJYC, to serve as Executive Director. Under her dedicated leadership the program of the JAJYC continued to thrive and funds were secured to purchase land and build the current JAJYC building located at 85 South Clarendon Avenue, on the "Hilltop" (Westside of Columbus, Ohio). Mrs. Saunders retired as Executive Director in 2003.

     The legacy continues under the leadership of Mr. Keith Neal, Executive Director whose tenure on the staff of the JAJYC spans more than twenty years.

     Our mission is to provide youth with developmental activities, guidance and support as an alternative to destructive behavior and to assist them in becoming responsible and productive citizens.