Our Blog
Night Games, Light Games
Indoor electric s’mores?! Yes please! Monday’s program was Night Games, Light Games! We played Night at the Museum, Mafia, watched a show, lit sparklers once it got darker, and cooked up some s’mores! We love our Monday night summer programs (let’s be honest, we love ALL of our programs!)!!!!!
Thank You, Burnt Timber Tavern!
A huge thank you to Burnt Timber Tavern for donating Friday night’s concert cover charge to the Kingswood Youth Center! Charlie Chronopoulos was the featured musician in Burnt Timber Tavern’s summer concert series last Friday. We can’t thank you all enough for supporting the KYC!
April Vacation
Over April vacation, the KYC offered two full days of programs. We pride ourselves in being a safe space for teens to enjoy, build relationships, and explore their interests! One day of vacation was Game and Movie night, and the other was a local hike up Caverly Mt. in New Durham! Both days were full of enthusiastic teens and we had a great time!
Thank You to The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction
The KYC would like to say a huge thank you The Lakes Region Children’s Auction and its many supporters! A recent grant for the Children’s Auction will go a long way in supporting adaptive educational and recreational programs for local teens! To learn more about The Lakes Region Children’s Auction, please check out their website https://www.childrensauction.com/
Spring Is Here!
We have been thrilled with the warmer weather, longer days, and drier weather this last month! We have been enjoying some of our favorite outdoor games and other screen-free fun! It’s great to see KYC participants interacting with each other through games and team building exercises, and enjoying being outside. Stepping away from screens and out into the sun to play a few lighthearted games is what we all need every now and then, and here at the KYC we are making sure it happens as often as possible!
February Vacation at KYC!
We continue to offer a safe and positive place for teens to spend time during school vacations! February vacation programs consisted of sledding, group games, science kits, art projects, and a movie night! We hope everyone is having a safe and relaxing school break!
Valentine’s Day!
We had a happy Valentine’s day at the KYC! Students worked really hard sanding and decorating wooden hearts. They looked awesome! We also decorated rice crispy treats and enjoyed a guessing game brought to us by our volunteer Diane! We hope everyone had a safe and happy Valentine’s Day!
Relaxation at the KYC
Amidst the changes and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the KYC has proven to be a great safe place for teens to come for relaxation. Last week, we took some time to be mindful. Mindfulness involves being attuned to the present monument and taking a break from the distractions of worry and anticipation. When we discuss mindfulness at the KYC, a staff member will shake a jar of water with glitter in it. The glitter swirls chaotically around the jar. The movement is too fast for one’s eyes to follow. But when the shaking stops for even a few moments, the chaos stops; in less than a minute the glitter settles neatly to the base of the jar. To take a break from shaking the jar represents mindfulness.
We practice mindfulness at the KYC through a short exercise. Students are asked to sit still and quietly. They are challenged to make simple observations about their present moment, without judgement: note five things you can see; then four things you can year; now three things you can feel; two things you can smell; and finally one thing you can taste.
To further calm ourselves, a group practiced some yoga. It’s been wonderful to offer safe, meaningful, relaxation and fun at the KYC to help make the COVID Pandemic a little easier for our teens.
Escape Room!
Last week we offered a KYC favorite, our own version of an escape room! Students search for clues to find a prize hidden in the Center. Along the way, they must also find the digits to a combination lock, as they must unlock their prize once they find it.
Clue: B4, Miss… Location: On the KYC’s homemade giant Battleship Game.
Clue: There was a farmer who had a dog… Location: In the Bingo Game!
Both learning cohorts succeeded in unlocking their prize: cake made by our volunteer, Diane to share and a small individual prize to take home. Nice work KYC!
Campfire Night
The KYC continues to offer in person programs, virtual programs, one-to-one mentoring, and food distribution. Campfire nights have been a great way to offer safe, fun time with friends at the KYC. We had a great evening of games and camp treats around the fire last week!
