Say Yes Niagara Falls Brings New Opportunities for Students and Families

Contributed

Say Yes Niagara Falls is here! After several years of discussion and planning, the Niagara Falls City School District and Say Yes Buffalo announced the formation of Say Yes Niagara Falls.

Say Yes Niagara Falls aims to enhance the district’s capabilities to serve the community in three program areas: 1) Community School initiative featuring Saturday Academy programming, 2) a workforce development initiative featuring both earn-while-you-learn modern youth apprenticeships and direct-hire opportunities for Niagara Falls High School graduates, and 3) a mentorship and youth leadership for young men of color called Breaking Barriers.

Say Yes Niagara Falls has also announced the formation of the Niagara Falls Scholarship Endowment Campaign, an effort to raise funds that can support graduates of Niagara Falls High School in their postsecondary studies in perpetuity. This fund mimics the Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Endowment Fund which after a ten-year campaign stands close to completion at $61M. The goal for the Niagara Falls Scholarship Endowment Campaign is $20M.

To launch the community school initiative, Say Yes Niagara Falls will be hosting 16 Saturday Academy events during the 2025-26 school year. These events will feature hands-on learning opportunities primarily focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), community resources, and fun activities for all ages and abilities along with breakfast and lunch. Saturday Academies are welcoming spaces designed to support students and strengthen family connections.

"Say Yes Niagara Falls will be the first expansion of the highly successful Say Yes Buffalo initiative," said Niagara Falls City School District Superintendent Mark Laurrie. "These opportunities will truly be a game changer for our students and community. Together, we can build a brighter future and ensure that every child has the support they need to reach their full potential."

“We’re tremendously excited to expand to Niagara Falls and hit the ground running with a great team in place,” Say Yes Buffalo CEO David Rust said. “We’ve always approached Say Yes Buffalo as an economic development engine, and we all know that the Buffalo-Niagara economy is inextricably linked. We’re humbled as an organization to help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity that so many students face in Niagara Falls.”

The first Saturday Academy in Niagara Falls will occur on October 4, 2025 at Cataract Elementary School and rotate between a total of four schools. All Saturday Academy events will take place from 9am-12pm. Full information on these events can be found at https://sayyesniagarafalls.org.

Say Yes Niagara Falls Brings New Opportunities for Students and Families