The pueblo of ZIA education department's connection program provides prevention and intervention initiatives of mentorship, educational services, and community-based support

The Pueblo of Zia Education Department will receive $500,000 through September 2027 from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731) to expand its Connection Program. The Connection Program currently provides mentoring, educational services, and community support initiatives to improve student academics and address the needs of at-risk youth involved in the juvenile justice system or who have experienced abuse. With this funding, the Pueblo of Zia will add two Student Success Coordinators to the program, enabling it to provide more direct one-on-one student support services across seven school districts. The expanded Connection Program will offer increased college and career advising, student and family activities, and advocacy to implement educational plans that incorporate cultural relevance for the students of the Pueblo of Zia in San Ysidro, New Mexico.

The connection program's goal is to improve student academics by increasing attendance percentages, on-time graduation, more students enrolling in post-secondary school, and obtaining meaningful careers. Primarily, to address students who have entered the juvenile justice system and/or have been victims of abuse, the connection program has provided advocacy to the students and families for supportive services in representing and implementing educational plans. The connection program has developed a program that provides a holistic approach to ensure the students hold value to cultural relevance in the education endeavors. This program is currently staffed by the education services manager who is responsible for the program's implementation of services. The program plans to add two student success coordinators to provide more direct services to the ZIA students. Student success coordinators will provide more one-on-one support, college, and career advisement, conduct more activities for students, families, and the community. The program will have the ability to support a wider range of students across the 7 districts our students attend.