.:youth:.



Bethel Neighborhood Center offers a wide variety of programs cost free to the youth.  We are a Partnership for Children Kansas City Promise Site which seeks to “connect Bethel youth with the 5 promises of:

  • Caring Adults
  • Providing a Safe Place
  • Fostering a Healthy Start and Future
  • Teaching Marketable Skills
  • Providing Opportunities to Serve

We provide a 38 week after school and summer enrichment program with 90-100 youth ages 6-14 free of charge in a safe learning environment with caring adults to nurture positive development in the youth through recreational, educational and community service activities.

Youth programs take place on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday after school until 6pm; and Monday – Friday 10am to 3:00pm during 8 weeks of the summer, for youth ages 6-14.  Bethel staff pick up the students from school (and home during the summer) and bring them home when activities are done. 

We are presently serving youth who attend:
Central Elementary
M.E. Pearson Elementary
Whittier Elementary
All Saints School  
Central Middle



For youth ages 6-9, programs are scheduled on Monday and Tuesday. Youth participate in arts and crafts, story time, and recreation.  In arts and crafts, the youth can be found making anything from paintings and sculptures, to thank you notes and holiday cards.  During story time, the youth occasionally make up their own twist to a fun story, or enjoy reading a book with the teacher. 



For youth ages 10-14 programs are scheduled on Wednesday and Friday.  Their activity time begins with free time when they can choose to participate in recreation outside or ping pong, or foosball in a recreation room.
Students form two groups and rotate between recreation, and a lesson which has focused on health and nutrition provided by the National Kidney Foundation program called “Kidnetics,®” and programs by the Kansas State University Extension.   In Kidnetics®   students chart their progress towards healthier nutritional choices and being more active.

In Spring 2006, we look forward to gardening with the youth, as well as different groups working on biweekly newsletters and movie and music critiques.  



For all the youth
We encourage academic achievement
During the school year we make time before and after group activity for homework help that has includes supervised peer mentoring.  We end the afternoon with announcements and a moderately healthy snack. 

We encourage recreation
Youth play organized games of kick ball, soccer and wiffle ball outside – as the weather permits -  or on the playground equipment. or an organized indoor game that keeps the students active. 



We encourage community service
We provide opportunities for the youth to demonstrate care for the community by visiting senior adult apartments, assisting senior adults with care of their home, picking up trash and debris around Bethel Center.  On a very hot day In the summer of 2005, the youth ages 6-9 handed out free bottles of water to people walking by.

Field Trips are a regular part of the program and include bowling, roller skating, swimming, museum tours, children’s theatre and visits to area parks.



Guests including community political leaders, artists, public safety officers and musicians provide special presentations from time to time.

Each year, we look forward to Winnetonka High School choir performing for the youth.

In the Fall of 2005 students also had the opportunity to talk with several University of Kansas physicians about what they do and how they became doctors. 


 



Bethel Neighborhood Center is affiliated with the following agencies:

 

 

Bethel Neighborhood Center • 14 S. 7th St. • Kansas City, KS 66101
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