Spring 2020

Check out our quarterly newsletter to see what's been going on at the

Kingswood Youth Center!

We have been getting outside so much this winter!

News from the Staff

Dear Friends of the Kingswood Youth Center,

We the staff can't express enough how grateful we are to serve a community with such high regard for our local youth. We want to thank everyone who has supported the KYC this school year, including those who contributed to our 2019-2020 annual appeal. The appeal was a great success! Each dollar raised will go a long way in providing vital services to our local youth. We are so fortunate to have such great friends and neighbors who choose to support our mission in so many ways!

It's hard to believe that the 2019-2020 school year is more than half over and spring is right around the corner. In our daily afterschool program, mainstay opportunities such as science café with Shelly, free music lessons with the Wolfeboro Institute of the Arts, substance misuse prevention programs with White Horse Recovery, life skills programs, and much more are in full swing! In BTAS! (beyond the afterschool) programs we have continued to offer evening programs each Wednesday, full-day programs during all school vacations, and periodic weekend programs. Mara and Zachary are both working individually with seventh and eighth graders during the school day through the KYC's Club 121 individual mentoring program. Through Club 121, Zachary and Mara work with their mentees to set and attain goals, navigate challenges, and explore emergent interests. Now that we are halfway through a wonderful school year, we are eagerly looking forward to our full schedule of 2020 summer programs!

In the coming months, students will have the opportunity to volunteer at the Lakes Region Humane Society, we will create a homemade soup to support Knights Against Hunger's Empty Bowls Project, we will host our Perspectives on Prevention series, students will ice skate a Pop Whalen, enjoy a live animal show through Wildlife Encounters, and so much more!

We are actively recruiting weekly program volunteers for our afterschool program and have begun fundraising to support 2020 summer programs. To learn more about opportunities to support the KYC, please contact [email protected] or (603) 569-5949.

Best Regards,

The KYC Staff

There are many ways a donation can help the KYC continue meeting the growing needs of our community's youth population. Our mission depends on your support. The KYC is a 501(c) 3 organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Donations may be sent to PO Box 697, Wolfeboro Falls, NH, 03896.

Or drop in and see us at 565 Center St. in Wolfeboro!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Kevin Sanzenbacher

Vice President

Matt Lawlor

Treasurer

Gregory Eldridge

Secretary

Gina Jewell

At Large

Barbara Lobdell

Don Smith

Kevin Van Brunt

Maria Found

Martha Krause

Pete Llewellyn

STAFF

Interim Executive Director

Zachary Porter

Development Director
Pam Sweeney

Teen Director

Mara Michno

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Club 121; KYC's One to One Mentoring Program

In the 2018-2019 school year, the KYC began a one-to-one mentoring program, held at Kingswood Regional Middle School. KYC staff members meet weekly during the school day with their assigned mentees. Mentors and mentees work together to create strategies for academic success, set meaningful goals, explore productive interests, foster positive relationships with family and peers, and ensure success for high school and beyond.

Holiday Celebrations

We had a blast at our annual holiday celebration, held the day before winter vacation. Treats, games, gifts, and a roast turkey dinner were all enjoyed by a crackling "fire."

Our white elephant gift exchange is always a hit! KYC provides the gifts, and wraps them, and then the fun begins! What will you get... and who might steal it?

Showing off some gifts!

Ready for our KYC'ers to arrive!

Anticipation!

What's in there?

Treats made by our volunteer, Diane!

Getting Outside!

Kingswood Youth Center's members, staff, and volunteers never shy away from getting outside, even during these dark and cold months. Throughout the last few weeks we have made great use of the equipment we have, and the areas surrounding the KYC!

Last week a group of KYC'ers hopped on the bus and took a five minute drive to The Nick. We went sledding and even snowshoed TO the sledding hill!

This week a few of us strapped on snowshoes and checked out the KYC trail, which is a short loop we made on our property! We practiced following trail blazes, and navigated some short and steep inclines, ice, and even a small wooden plank! The KYC'ers did an amazing job, and didn't fall once! We hooked into the Cotton Valley trail as well, and trekked to a small bridge, with a beautiful view of Lake Wentworth.

The KYC provides snow-pants, coats, winter boots, hats, and gloves for members to borrow. There is no reason for us to not get outside and play! See you outside!

Snowshoeing in the after school program!

Snowshoeing the KYC trail!

Whiffle ball in the KYC parking lot

Sledding at The Nick. The patchy snow didn't bother us!

Community Outreach

KYC members have been working hard to give back to the community. We volunteered with the Rotary Club of Wolfeboro during their Christmas tree sales. Our KYC'ers spent the day helping community members pick out the perfect tree, carrying it to their vehicle, and helping load up. Proceeds from the 2019 Christmas tree sales will fund scholarships for Kingswood Students.

The KYC was lucky enough to be one of the recipients of the Festival of Trees proceeds. Our students enjoyed an afternoon of handing out refreshments to the community, as a THANK YOU.

Helping the Rotary Club of Wolfeboro with their tree sales!

Delivering a tree to a car!

Posing in front of the KYC's tree

A group delivered handmade cards to local businesses who support the KYC.

The KYC's Food Program

Here at the KYC we boast that everything we offer is, "Free, fun, and includes FOOD!" Our members are often quite hungry when they show up for programs, especially if they have the first lunch of the day at school, which starts at 10:25AM! By 2:45pm they are ready for a snack. Every day we provide a hearty snack for our members. If they stay for Wednesday BTAS! we enjoy dinner together, and we always have something delicious!

The food we offer comes from a few different sources. We use The New Hampshire Food Bank, general operating funds, and for the last few years, a group of local individuals have provided Hannaford gift cards and a weekly grocery drop off.

We couldn't offer all of the wonderful food we do without all of you.

THANK YOU!

Lasagna, muffins made by KYC students, and fresh fruit were all offered during the after school program

Serving a turkey dinner, which included from-scratch mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce!

Substance Misuse Prevention with White Horse Recovery

Every Wednesday the KYC focuses on substance misuse prevention. Eric Moran, CRSW and Senior Manager at The Shed, spends the afternoon with the KYC. Eric is an extremely valuable member of our team, and has developed very strong connections with our members over the years. One of the first things we hear when KYC members walk through the doors of the KYC on Wednesdays is, "Is Eric here?!"

The last few months have focused on learning about individual substances; what they look like and their associated dangers.

Substance Misuse Prevention sometimes looks like singing karaoke with a CRSW

And sometimes it looks more like learning about the dangers of alcohol.

BTAS!

(Beyond The After School!)

This year the KYC is offering 150 hours of "BTAS!" programing outside of our after-school program. These programs are hosted in the evening, during school vacations, and on weekends! Check out some of our recent BTAS! programs below!