New York City kids can enroll in a number of fun and educational after school programs. Some are free and some require fees. Learn more at the Fort Greene Council website.
The city’s 80 Beacon community centers aid students in low-income neighborhoods after school and on weekends, holidays and summer. See a map of locations at the Center for Children’s Initiatives website.
Educational Video Center
Since its founding 24 years ago, the Educational Video Center has placed video cameras in the hands of high school students and taught them to go out into their communities to ask questions and tell stories. The program helps young people build the artistic and critical literacy skills they need for future success, while also nurturing their idealism and commitment to social change. EVC offers a number of programs, including the Youth Documentary Workshop, which allows students to research, plan, shoot and edit their own social issue documentary for academic credit. It also provides professional development for teachers. The nonprofit is funded through donations.
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers is an entertainment complex featuring sports, entertainment and shopping. It is home to the Golf Club at Chelsea Piers and features a 200-yard driving range, quarter-mile indoor track and 50-foot-high rock-climbing wall. It also offers five restaurants and three sports shops. It is a popular destination for birthday parties and has been featured in several movies and TV shows. The golf course was featured in the 2010 movie The Other Guys. It has been the location for the MTV reality show Band in a Bubble, in which a popular band is put into a large “bubble” enclosure where they must write and record a new song in 20 days.
In the early 1900s, the Chelsea Piers were a hub of activity as transatlantic liners sailed to and from Europe. The piers were designed by the architectural firm of Warren and Wetmore, which also designed Grand Central Terminal. The piers replaced a hodgepodge of run-down waterfront structures and served as the docking points for the rival Cunard and White Star Lines. During World War I, the piers were used as a military harbor. The Titanic sailed into the Piers on its maiden voyage in 1912, but was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sank in the North Atlantic. Only 675 people survived that tragic journey.
The Field House at Chelsea Piers is a state-of-the-art recreational facility that includes a swimming pool, one of the country’s largest rock-climbing walls, a health club and an Olympic-sized gymnastics center. It offers a wide variety of recreational and competitive programs for kids from six months to 17 years. It also offers summer sports camps for both boys and girls.
Located in Manhattan’s artsy Chelsea neighborhood, the Piers are easy to get to. Traffic lights and crosswalks guide pedestrians, skaters and cyclists safely across the West Side Highway at 22nd Street, 20th Street and 18th Street. A one-mile public esplanade and an interior walkway, Sunset Strip, surround the Piers. A bikeway/walkway parallels the Hudson River and runs through Chelsea Piers, and bike racks are located throughout the area.
92nd Street Y
92nd Street Y is a cultural and community center located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It offers a wide variety of programs in art, dance, music, and writing. In addition, it has a state-of-the-art fitness facility and is open to the public.
The 92nd Street Y has long been a hub for literary events. It has held discussions with renowned authors and hosted readings by prominent writers, including Harper Lee, Mary Badham (who played Scout in the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird), and Oliver Sacks. The Y also hosts poetry competitions and workshops. In these classes, students learn to express themselves in written form and analyze the works of famous writers.
Aside from its programs and events, the 92nd Street Y is also home to an extensive library that has over 30,000 books. The library includes a large collection of Judaica and is open to all members. It is also a great place to meet fellow book lovers and share ideas.
During the pandemic, the 92nd Street Y moved more of its programming online. This allowed them to reach a broader audience outside of New York City. However, the move was difficult and complicated. In order to succeed, they needed to rebrand themselves and expand their programming.
Fortunately, they have been successful in doing so. Despite the changes, they still maintain their mission of building community. They want to inspire action by bringing together today’s most exceptional thinkers and influential partners for social good.
In the future, 92nd Street Y will continue to evolve with the times. It will focus on attracting a more diverse audience and creating a culture of connection and enrichment. They will also expand their international partnerships and continue to provide high-quality programming for its audience.
The 92nd Street Y is located in an artsy neighborhood in Manhattan that is known for its theater and entertainment. The area is also home to many restaurants and shops. The Y is a short walk from Museum Mile, which features the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and El Museo del Barrio.
Reading Partners
Located in New York City, Reading Partners is a non-profit organization that helps underprivileged children become strong readers and achieve their potential. They empower students by building partnerships between teachers, parents, and community volunteers. Their holistic approach has empowered students in schools across the city. By working one-on-one with their student, they help them overcome challenges and learn the skills to succeed in school. Volunteers become more than just tutors; they are mentors, friends, and positive role models.
The program provides a comprehensive literacy solution that includes research-based lesson plans and a curriculum that follows a developmental sequence, an extensive library of fiction and nonfiction ebooks, an edtech platform that connects tutors and students, and training and ongoing support for all staff members and volunteers. Their work has demonstrated measurable impacts on students’ growth in reading achievement. This is especially true for students from low-income families, boys and girls, and students who are not native English speakers.
Tutors are matched with students in their communities, who they serve for two to three hours per week. This enables them to form strong, long-lasting relationships with their students. In addition to their one-on-one instruction, they also provide support in the classroom and attend monthly training sessions. They must also complete a background check and commit to a year of service.
While there are many benefits to volunteering with a reading program, the most important is that it makes a difference in the lives of young people. The impact of a student’s literacy can have lasting consequences for the rest of their life. Reading programs help children gain confidence and knowledge and open doors that may otherwise remain closed.
These five organizations have been helping students become lifelong learners and thrive in academic and career opportunities that they would not have had if their literacy skills were limited. You can volunteer with these reading programs by donating books, arranging a book drive, or attending their events. You can also support their efforts by becoming a very involved parent, joining their Very Involved Parent program, or becoming a partner.
