Community Development Programs
The Racine Family YMCA Strong Communities initiatives provide a range of youth and family programs designed to increase the strength and effectiveness of community life and improving local conditions, especially for youth in disadvantaged situations.
YOUNG LEADERS ACADEMY (YLA)
The African philosophy, "It takes a village to raise a child" explains the critical role parents, teachers, volunteers, donors, community members, and YLA members play in helping achieve our mission. There is not another program in Racine like the YLA. We are a member program with the goal of changing the attitudes of youth toward and empowering them to achieve success in school and life.
Members embark on the three components of the Young Leaders Academy beginning in Grade 2 but may begin at any time.
- School Achievers: Grades 2-5. Takes place in RUSD elementary schools.
- Young Achievers: Grades 6-8. Takes place at the George Bray YMCA.
- Teen Achievers: Grades 9-12. Takes place at the George Bray YMCA.
| SUMMER YLA SESSION |  |
REGISTRATION: March 19 – May 31, 2024
In addition to the Young Leaders Academy school-year based program, the six-week Summer Session for children entering Grades 3-8 provides a continuum of learning to reverse summer learning loss. The Summer Session provides daily classroom instruction in core academic subjects, enrichment activities, service learning projects and educational field trips. The Summer Session takes place at Carthage College, with transportation provided daily from the George Bray YMCA, 924 Center Street, Racine.
What your child will experience:
- Morning activities include math, reading/language, and world language classes taught by certified teachers or student teachers.
- Lunch in the Todd Wehr Center Cafeteria.
- Afternoon session includes structured recreational activities including swimming, basketball, kickball, relay races and various other group games and exercises designed to build camaraderie and teach self-discipline, teamwork, fair play, rule following and good sportsmanship, in addition to other important life and social skills.
- Friday activities include educational field trips or participation in service-learning projects (e.g. cleaning community parks, starting community gardens).
Parent Orientation Meeting will take place Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at the George Bray Center. Time TBD.
For questions and to register, contact Tanya at the George Bray Center, Monday-Thursday from 8:00am to 3:00pm, call 262-898-4757 or email twilliams@ymcaracine.org.
The YLA Summer Session is made possible through the generous support of SC Johnson.
HEALTHY LIVING KITCHEN
Childhood obesity and food insecurity are serious challenges in low-income populations, disproportionately impacting the African American community. Over the past decades, sharp increases in overweight and obesity rates have occurred among African American and other ethnic groups, nationally and in Racine.
To address the issue of poor nutrition among low income youth in Racine’s inner city, the Racine Family YMCA's Healthy Living Kitchen is providing free, healthy meals in the Bray Neighborhood.
The Healthy Living Kitchen is made possible by the Mead Witter Foundation and the Ascension Foundation, with support from the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Interested in volunteering for our Meal Program? Please fill out our Volunteer Form.
