IMPACTO (Imaginando Mañana Pico-Aliso Community Team Outreach)

IMPACTO (Imaginando Mañana Pico Aliso Community Team Outreach) is an after-school academic enrichment program serving at-risk youth ages 6-18 in the Boyle Heights community. In an area plagued with poverty, a suffering public education system, and the threat of gang violence, the youth served by the IMPACTO program are provided with more than merely an after school program; they are given hope, encouragement, alternatives and a safe haven. The goal of IMPACTO is to motivate and inspire youth of Boyle Heights to develop as leaders in pursuit of education. Additionally, recognizing the importance of parent support to ensure our students complete high school and go on to college, IMPACTO provides personalized assistance for parents so that they are better equipped to deal with the often daunting educational system.

There are two measurable main goals of the IMPACTO program
(1) Motivate and inspire at-risk youth of Boyle Heights to become leaders in pursuit of education, and to
(2) Empower youth through personal development, local community participation and increased social awareness


IMPACTO was founded ten years ago to address a need that continues to this very day. The program is divided into an elementary component and a college prep component. We recently merged the Underwings after school program, previously run by Dolores Mission School, with the IMPACTO program, increasing our student population from 80 to almost 200. 100% of IMPACTO students are from working poor families who face numerous challenges of living in an underserved and disenfranchised community.






IMPACTO is both unique and successful because it is a comprehensive program. By combining academic assistance, educational enrichment, and parent education and support through it’s year round activities, participants are provided with a well-rounded program that will aid them in their academic, personal and social life. The program is divided into an elementary component and a college prep component.








IMPACTO is an ongoing year round program, serving as both an after-school and a summer academic enrichment program. The program runs Monday through Friday from 2:30–6:00 p.m. throughout the traditional school year. Homework assistance is provided daily and tutoring is provided twice a week. Other academic assistance activities, as well as the enrichment activities, are provided at least once a week. The schedule is set monthly by staff and is in alignment with the program’s logic model. The summer program runs for 10 weeks, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. For students that are in school during summer months tutoring and homework support are provided while additional enrichment, academic enrichment and recreational activities are provided for students that are not in school.