Our Piece of the Pie
Nydia R. is a dedicated educator and specialist with extensive experience in student engagement and support services. Currently serving as a Post-Secondary Specialist at Our Piece of the Pie since February 2022, Nydia previously worked as a Student Engagement Specialist for Hartford Public Schools, focusing on improving student attendance and addressing chronic absenteeism through tailored interventions. Nydia has also held roles as a Special Education Paraeducator at CREC, Integrated Care Coordinator at Community Health Resources, and Youth Development Specialist at Our Piece of the Pie, where case management and community engagement were key responsibilities. Nydia's experience includes mentoring and coordinating internships at New Haven Academy, as well as engagements in various non-profit roles through Public Allies Connecticut. Nydia holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Southern Connecticut State University and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration at the University of Bridgeport.
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Our Piece of the Pie
Our Piece of The Pie empowers 14 to 24 year-old urban youth with the key competencies to overcome obstacles and barriers and succeed in education and employment. The young people we help face many challenges. Whether it’s poverty based trauma, gang or justice involvement or victims of system wide issues, OPP focuses on providing the support young people need to achieve their goals! Our relationship-centered model is the key to our success. When a young person comes through our doors, he or she’s immediately connected with a trained, caring and proactive adult staff member who serves as a mentor and coach, building a lasting, personal relationship that spans the entire time that young person is enrolled at OPP. These adults, called Youth Development Specialists, help our youth find the spark that ignites their desire to improve their lives. They help young people navigate past barriers, and toward high school graduation, a college degree or vocational certification, and sustained post-education employment -- the keys to economic independence. Our staff is committed to the strategic and efficient stewardship of the organization’s resources to have the greatest impact on the youth we serve. We collect and use abundant data to measure our results, improve programs, and demonstrate success. As a leader in the youth development field, we identify, test, refine and employ best practices as part of our continuous improvement model. OPP’s unique model offers an effective combination of best practices in academic, employment training, and youth development services and an approach focused on the individual. While every young person receives a combination of academic, employment and youth development services, the exact plan that’s created for each youth addresses his or her specific needs and aspirations.