The Academy of Saint Cecilia Youth Orchestra (ASCYO) is a non-profit organization created in 2001 as an outreach ministry of Damascus United Methodist Church to youth and their families in the greater Washington, DC area. ASCYO is now an independent 501(c)3 organization.

The mission of ASCYO is to serve the community by providing opportunity for young musicians to grow spiritually and attain musical excellence through instruction, rehearsal, and public performances of the great musical compositions of the past and present. ASCYO hopes to encourage young people to make commitments to their faith and religious vocations in music and the arts. Members are expected to respect faith traditions different from their own. Services provided to young people in music are given without regard to sex, race, religion, or national origin.​