Center for Youth and Community Development has developed an encouraging, entertaining, challenging, and motivating programs to help your child succeed, all while having fun doing activities they love with other children.
Our concepts are consistent with include 6 core program areas: The Arts, STEM, Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development, Health & Life Skills, and Sports, Fitness, & Recreation.
STEM programs are designed to integrate technology, science, engineering, and mathematics to develop, building, and create products and systems of the future. Our volunteers and staff all have advance knowledge, education, and degrees in the following fields helping our children understand and learn about how important the STEM fields our and how they can build a better life through them.
Science: Our members utilize sciences and technologies in growing fresh vegetables and fruits understanding the sciences behind producing fresh and healthly produce.
Technology: Our members learn about cloud technology, website development, computer programming, and software development by getting an in-depth hands-on understanding of various technologies.
Engineering: Our members engineer robotics and software learning about the design and building of electronics and systems.
Mathematics: We offer programs in mathematics that is backed by a curriculum designed by California State University System through our Algebra camp which helps our members develop the skills they need to advance in mathematics.
Our academic programming enables youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, set goals, explore careers, prepare for employment and embrace technology to achieve success in a career.
As informal educators, The Center’s professionals envision all our members build the knowledge and skills with us from their youth years through their teenage years, graduating from high school with their class members. Through their experiences at school and The Center, young people are able to make good post-secondary education decisions.
Our staff acknowledges the importance of education in the lives of our youth. For this reason The Center is dedicated in assisting our members to succeed in their academic careers. In an effort to accomplish this goal in the lives of our youth the we’ve created programs that will foster academic and career success.
POWER HOUR: A comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, designed to raise the academic proficiency of each of our members. This program encourages members to become self-directed learners. portant for learning.
The Cultural Arts Program at The Center encompasses dance, music, and drama and introduces members to diverse forms of artistic expression. Through arts workshops, and craft challenges, this program encourages members to express themselves artistically, while promoting individual creativity and appreciation for the arts.
Music Program: Music lessons are provided for youth ranging in ages from 5 to 17 years old. Boys & Girls club members are exposed to music from various eras and genres, as they gain hands on experience and practice with instruments including piano, guitar, drums, and others. Additionally, members practice to read music, play specific songs, and engage in the history of music in a safe and enjoyable environment important for learning.
TORCH CLUB: A powerful vehicle through which The Center’s staff can assist in meeting the special character development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their development.
Torch Club members learn to elect officers and work together to implement activities in four areas:
– Service to the Club and community
– Education
– Health and fitness and social recreation
PASSPORT TO MANHOOD: Passport to Manhood consists of 14 sessions, each concentrating on a specific aspect of character and manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant receives his own “passport” to underscore the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and growth. The program includes a service project where boys learn the importance of giving back to the community. Passport to Manhood represents a targeted effort to engage young boys in discussions and activities that reinforce character, leadership and positive behavior.
SMART GIRLS: SMART Girls offers young women – ages 8 to 17 – guidance toward healthy attitudes and lifestyles, eating right, staying fit, good health care and more. Encouraging young women to have healthy attitudes and lifestyles, SMART Girls helps them reach their full potential. There are group activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women. The program also encourages youth to become community advocates for relationships that promote equality and respect while combating the attitudes and behaviors that lead to dating, sexual and domestic violence.
Triple Play: This program takes a holistic approach to educating boys and girls on the importance of health, integrating program components that include elements of the mind, body and soul. As a result of the triple play program members gain greater knowledge of healthy habits, increase their level of physical activity, learn to interact more positively with others and engage in positive relationships.
Basketball: This program is part of The Center’s Sports, Fitness & Recreation where the goal is to develop fitness, a positive use of leisure time, reduction of stress, appreciation for the environment, as well as social and interpersonal skills.
Imagination Playground: Imagination Playground has been designed as a flexible play solution that can be implemented in any environment where children and youth can be found. Imagination playground increases members’ level of engagement and strengthens the presence of play in the community. Members have often used imagination playground blocks for obstacle courses, and to build structures using their imaginations and creativity.
Teen Music Workshop: The Teen Music Workshop has an expansive multimedia center and music production studio offering training workshops. Members have an opportunity to create and record their own images and sound. Many youth in the program play at least two instruments, and their talent is in high demand. They often travel to showcase their talents and perform at Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland to name a few. This program is run by Bryan Wing, a skilled and experienced musician and counselor in San Bernardino City Unified School District.
The Health & Life Skills component develops young people’s capacity to engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well-being, set personal goals and live successfully as self-sufficient adults.
WEST SIDE COMMUNITY GARDEN: More than 200 fruit and vegetable plants have been planted in the 2,700-square foot Westside Community Garden. The garden is sponsored by the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and is the first community garden to be built on 9th Street next to our Center. Our members get exercise as they plant and tend the garden. They also learn about and eat the healthy fruits and veggies they harvest! They can make a meal for friends and family, provide fresh food to the school cafeteria or donate to a community food bank.
Goals of the community garden are:
– To provide a hands-on gardening experience to youth and the community.
– To integrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities into the agricultural experience.
– To teach members and the community how to become self-sufficient in growing their own fruits and vegetables.
– To promote healthy living skills.
