Leadership, Confidence & A Brighter Future for Our Youth
We empower at-risk teens through personalized mentoring, emotional intelligence, and practical life skills to help them grow into confident, self-sufficient adults.
We shape confident, resilient leaders with purpose.
Through close mentoring and real-life tools, we empower at-risk youth to thrive and build meaningful futures.
Our Programs
The Academy of CLASS creates an opportunity for participants to build strong relationships with trained mentors, learn to balance their lives and achieve healthy independence. We support teens through our unique mentoring program that teaches success strategies, instills healthy habits and promotes goal setting.
Get Involved
Unlike other programs that are fundamentally based on theory, our methodology is based on hands-on experience with teens, parents and institution and choosing the approaches that have worked best and providing results.
Volunteer
Choose from a variety of roles! From coaching and teaching to logistical support at training events- our volunteers are also serve as advocates to our program. Allowing youth and other organizations know that we are here to provide support.
Donate
Let's prepare tomorrow's leaders today. We provide training, resources and assistance to teens who may otherwise not have support. Every little bit counts. Donations are tax-deductible.
Shaping Confident Leaders of Tomorrow
About Us
Academy of CLASS empowers marginalized youth to overcome or prevent challenges like teen pregnancy, abuse, poverty, homelessness, abuse, and foster care. Our program equips teens with essential life skills, including etiquette, personal development, and self-sustainability, helping them grow into self-sufficient adults.
Through confidence-building, emotional intelligence, and financial literacy, we guide teens toward positive decision-making and success. Grounded in Leadership, Health, Family, Integrity, and Service, we’re committed to creating a future where every teen knows their worth and is empowered to thrive.
Testimonials
Dedicated professionals enhancing educational outcomes
Thanks to Academy of CLASS I feel better prepared for my future. I now have a plan after high school. I enjoyed all of the fun activities we have done and I have learned a whole lot. Everything Ms. Mery taught us is useful and I know it will come in handy.
Crystal
Grade 12 Student
We are so grateful to what Academy of CLASS teaches our girls. They are truly excited. Every lesson is a new opportunity for our girls learn and be even more prepared for life.
Ms. Grice-Burks
Former Principal
Philanthropic efforts from people like you help us in our efforts to break the cycle of abuse, heal the pain of children who have suffered abuse, find a family for children who can never return home and to prepare teens in our care for successful transitions to adulthood.
R. Coote
Former CHS Philanthropy Director
Meet Our Founder
Mery N. Dominguez is a living testament to resilience and determination. As a teen mom, she faced many of the same challenges our youth experience today. Mery graduated from high school while caring for her seven-month-old daughter and immediately began her college journey at Florida University, with the initial goal of becoming a teacher. Her plan was to teach for a few years before pursuing a different career, but her passion for helping students kept her teaching beyond two decades. Later, she took on a different path.
In 2012, Mery founded the Academy of CLASS, initially to provide pregnant teens with the skills and support they needed to build brighter futures. She understood their struggles first hand. What started as a program to empower young mothers has since evolved into a life-changing initiative for marginalized youth throughout South Florida, giving them the tools to overcome challenges and succeed as self-sufficient adults.