Hope Nestor will present her thesis entitled: “The Successful Transitions Initiative: Youth Skills Development Programming and How At-risk High School Participants Report Impact to Academic Success and Dropout Outcomes”.  ABSTRACT People who fail to attain a high school education face a multitude of risk factors associated with health, employment, crime, substance abuse, and their personal lives. The Successful Transitions Initiative on Prince Edward Island, a unique program targeting youth at-risk of dropping out of high school, teaches the youth basic skills in hopes of improving their academic outcomes. Skills development programs with similar mandates and curriculum are growing in popularity across Canada. It is important that the impact of these programs be understood to ensure they are affecting the participants positively and to improve program delivery. A case study was completed to understand the impact of the Successful Transitions Initiative. Pre and post-test survey data and post intervention focus group data were analysed to measure the 2017 Successful Transitions Initiative participant reported outcomes of the program. The participants reported improved communication skills, pride and a sense of accomplishment, higher levels of self-confidence, self-actualization, internal locus of control, increased school engagement, and newly formed positive relationships. The Successful Transitions Initiative case study also revealed trends that support a relationship between the magnitude and the longevity of the effect. Limitations of this study unearthed recommendations for future research.