ACES Announces Enhanced, Forward-Focused Mission, Vision, Values, and Theory of Change
After thirty years of impactful work creating opportunities for youth and advancing educational equity in Minnesota, ACES is stepping confidently into its next chapter with enhanced, forward-focused mission and vision statements, organizational values, and theory of change.
Our mission, vision, values, and theory of change reflect the holistic work ACES does to help young people not only strengthen their academic skills, but also develop social-emotional competencies and build meaningful relationships. We use strength-based language that is compelling and bold—language that inspires and aspires for even greater impact. These forward-focused statements allow ACES programming to continuously expand and adapt to meet our youth, schools, and communities where they are. Together, we are building a future where every young person has the support and opportunity to thrive.
Mission
To empower youth and expand opportunity through engaging, inclusive, and accessible learning experiences.
Our mission statement is a succinct, timeless guide that encapsulates ACES's purpose. Using strength-based language, we emphasize our commitment to accessibility, engagement, and inclusivity, reflecting ACES’s holistic approach to supporting youth. This forward-focused language allows us to advance educational equity while remaining flexible to adapt and expand programming in response to the evolving needs of our youth and communities. Ultimately, our mission inspires and aspires to create a lasting impact in the lives of the young people we serve.
Vision
A future in which all youth have the power to inspire curiosity, make positive change, and thrive in their communities.
Our vision statement describes what the future would look like if ACES achieved all its goals. We recognize that success encompasses not only academic and career achievements, but also personal growth and fulfillment in all areas of life. We acknowledge the inherent power and agency within every young person. ACES is committed to ensuring that all youth, regardless of their background or aspirations, can achieve their fullest potential and define their own path to success.
Organizational Values
Youth-Centered: We center the needs and aspirations of youth in our ideation, implementation, and reflection across all levels of the organization.
Equity: We acknowledge and actively celebrate difference, challenge systemic barriers, and promote access and justice.
Belonging: We champion accessible and inclusive spaces where all members of the ACES community are seen, heard, and empowered to show up as themselves.
Collaboration: We share, listen, learn from, and lean on the unique strengths and diverse perspectives of our youth, staff, volunteers, partners, and communities.
Growth: We continuously improve by embracing challenge, nurturing learning, and celebrating progress.
Our organizational values serve as guiding principles that shape the behavior and decision-making at every level of the organization. These values are distinct, concise, and designed to be easily internalized—ensuring that they consistently inform our work, programming, and choices. Developed collaboratively through a series of staff workshops, our core values reflect the environments we strive to cultivate within our team and board, with our partner schools, and in the broader community.
Theory of Change
Engage + Empower = Thrive
Engage: Engaging youth using innovative sports-themed curriculum with real life applications.
Empower: Empowering youth by building their math skills and social-emotional skills, such as teamwork, confidence and perseverance.
Thrive: Thriving youth recognize their innate value and lean on their competencies, motivation, and community support to actualize their dreams.
Our theory of change is a conceptual model that outlines how ACES actualizes our mission and vision through specific program strategies. It serves as a roadmap for our efforts in driving change, helping us define what success looks like and how to reach it. Living in tandem with our mission, vision, and values, our theory of change can evolve as we respond to the needs of our youth, partner schools, and communities. We emphasize fostering the innate skills that youth already possess and align our definition of “thrive” with a broader focus on empowerment and action, reflecting our commitment to multiple pathways to success.