Education Center in Knoxville, TN
UUNIK ACADEMY
Shaping the next generation of African-American leaders through education, innovation, and guidance.
Who We Are
UUNIK Academy is a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of African-American youth.
In our community, too many children face barriers that keep them from thriving. In Tennessee, nearly 80% of African-American students in grades 3–8 are not proficient in reading and math.
Across the nation, African-Americans make up only 8% of the STEM workforce. These numbers are not just statistics — they represent untapped potential, bright futures at risk of being left behind.
UUNIK Academy exists to change that story. Through STEAMI Learning Institute (the educational program of UUNIK Academy, STEAMI Summer Institute (summer program of UUNIK) and ACT Prep, our students gain the skills and confidence to excel in school and beyond.
And the results speak for themselves: since 2003, UUNIK has empowered over 5,500 youth across Knox County to rise above the odds, achieve academic growth, and prepare for meaningful careers in an ever-changing job market.
"Because when our children succeed, our community thrives."
Our Impact
Our Impact in 2025
- 100+ youth participated in our institutions.
- 350+ volunteer hours dedicated to supporting our students.
- 85% of students achieved grade-level or above in math, grammar, and reading.
Our Mission
Our mission is to implement principles that will transform youth into respectful and responsible adults.
We foster an environment conducive to developing life skills, a strong sense of leadership and community amongst UUNIK participants.
Programs
Location: Mt Olive Baptist Church 1601 Dandridge Ave 37915
2026 STEAMI Summer InstitutE
Mon.- Fri. 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Summer Youth Program
Grades - K to 5th
2026/27 STEAMI Learning Institute
Mon.- Fri. 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Full-Time Academic Institution
Grades: K to 8th
Kids
5,500
Thousands of kids received benefits from the organization's charitable efforts and activities.
Act Prep
500
students whom we've helped via our ACT Prep Course(Live and Online). Act Score Average - 23
Donation
$500K
was raised for our students since UUNIK's inception. 70% came from individual and corporate donors.
Transformation Begins With Education And Results in a Strong Sense of Community
TRANSFORMATION BEGINS WITH EDUCATION AND RESULTS IN A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY
In Tennessee, it is a very sad fact that over 80% of African American children between grades 3rd - 8th are not proficient in reading and math. Moreover, there is a definite link between illiteracy and incarceration; 70% of those incarcerated are in fact illiterate.
That’s why at UUNIK, we begin with a strong foundation in education, preparing our young people to succeed from their current grade, all the way to college. We do this while instilling in them traditional Kwanzaa principles to help build tomorrow’s black leaders and make an investment in the future of our community.
Through our STEAM education, ACT prep courses, cultural and philosophical teaching, we have been able to produce the most consistently high-performance numbers on ACT tests and academic growth for African American prep courses in our area.
We even help students and their parents learn about scholarships for black students in an empowering way. Our goal is to make college a possibility for every young person who comes into contact with us.
