Youth Programs
Summer Programs / Sports / R I S E
Summer Youth Employment
Summer Youth Employment (SYE) provides early employment opportunities for 14 to 17 year-old youth who are eligible to work for up to 15 hours a week. Applicants are required to interview, and once hired, attend job skills training sessions. They also participate in ongoing “Lunch and Learn” sessions, which bring in speakers on topics from budgeting to resume building to interview skills.
The program is focused on community projects, with opportunities for work each week.
Youth will get paid $14 an hour.
Rainbow Summer Program
Big news! Rainbow Summer Program is teaming up with Camp Fire Heartland for 2024! See below for some Frequently Asked Questions.
What’s different?
In 2024 Rainbow Summer Program is teaming up with Camp Fire Heartland for an even more exciting program! This will enable us to offer extended program hours and dates, and for parents to sign up for the weeks that work best for their families.
Scholars will need to register with Camp Fire Heartland to indicate which weeks they want to attend.
Scholars and their parents will also need to attend one of two enrollment nights on either Monday, April 29th or Monday, May 6th, from 6-8pm at Rainbow Mennonite Church at 1444 Southwest Boulevard, to fill out enrollment paperwork and meet the summer staff team.
Camp Fire brings a robust outdoor and environmental curriculum that we are excited to experience!
What’s the same?
Rainbow Summer Program will still take place at Rainbow Mennonite Church at 1444 Southwest Boulevard. Reading, financial literacy, advocacy, community service and field trips will still be major parts of the program in addition to outdoor play and environmental curriculum.
Dates: The summer program will operate from June 10-August 2. The program will be closed the week of July 1-5. You can sign up for the weeks that work for you, or attend all seven!
Eligibility: All students who have completed Kindergarten- 8th grade are eligible to attend.
Drop off time: Scholars should be dropped off by 8am. They can be dropped off as early as 7:30AM.
Pick up time: Scholars need to be picked up between 4pm-6pm
Registration Fee: If you have NOT previously been a part of Rainbow Summer Program, the cost is $225/week. However, anyone who applies for a scholarship is guaranteed to receive one, up to the full cost of the program. If you have previously been part of Rainbow Summer Program, your cost will not exceed what you paid in 2023. When you fill out your application, be sure to write that you are a past Rainbow Summer Program participant.
How and when do I pay?
Payment is due one week before the start of the weekly camp session. Payment can be made all at once, or via regular payments. The registration system will allow you to pick your payment plan.
Here are some pictures from the 2023 Rainbow Summer Program!
Park Nights
This fall, instead of youth soccer, we’re having Park Nights! Join us at 5:30pm on Tuesday at Whitmore Playground (across from the RDA office, 1412 Southwest Boulevard) for soccer, basketball, and other park games like freeze tag and double dutch.
Sign up below
RISE:
Reading Inspirational Stories to Empower
RISE: Reading Inspirational Stories to Empower engages youth across the metro in learning about social justice and taking action through community collaboration and activism at any age. RISE was started as a way to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and commitment to justice on the week of his birthday, with community volunteers reading stories about civil rights and social change makers in area classrooms, and, along with students, writing letters to local elected officials sharing what they have learned and encouraging change.
Check back in December for 2025 RISE!
