First Day of Youth Programming: Bringing a Child’s Circle of Support Together

A child’s support system includes many adults, but too often they never meet. Parents usually hear about a youth program secondhand, and mentors rarely meet the adults behind the youth they support. Each side sees only part of the picture.

今年 Apex for Youth invited them to join the first day of elementary programming. Family engagement is one of the most talked-about gaps in out-of-school-time programming. Elementary families joined us on day one to experience the program alongside their child and meet their child’s mentors in person.

A child’s web of support is strongest when the adults in it are connected. When a child sees his parent laughing with his mentor, writing a poem beside him, or taking on a challenge with his group, he sees that the people who care about him are on the same team, and he feels more comfortable. That comfort helps him take social risks and know he has support at Apex and at home.

What Opening Day looked like

For the first time in Elementary Explorers, we had opening day instead of starting with workshops. Mentors and mentees meet in their small groups, get to know each other, and, for returning pairs, catch up on their summers. This year, we made one intentional change: we invited parents to join us on the first day.

Beau Dorien, Apex for Youth Senior Manhattan Explorers manager, wanted parents to understand the program by experiencing it, joining activities similar to what their kids will do, and playing along. But the bigger goal was to bring parents and mentors together to connect as partners in a child’s support system.

“We hoped to build strong trust across our entire Apex community, give mentors the chance to learn more about their students by meeting their guardians, and strengthen bonds that are already established or brand new,” Beau said. “We really wanted parents to see how important these mentors are to students and the impact of the relationship.”

The day was designed so parents would do what their kids do every week: be playful, get curious, and connect. Three activities anchored it:

• Acrostic poems. During the meet-and-greet, mentees, mentors, and parents wrote acrostic poems together. Everyone learned about each other right away and connected over shared interests and curiosity.
• Parent goal-setting. Parents named what they hope their child gets out of Apex, then shared those goals with other parents and the full group. Saying them out loud made their hopes intentional and visible.
• Side Quest Challenges. Mentors, students, and parents gathered in their groups to complete a series of playful challenges outside. It brought the same energy our students get every week to the adults who support them at home.

These activities let parents experience Apex’s programming firsthand, the same way their children do every week. Mentors also got to know their mentees better by talking with their parents, and parents saw how much these mentors mean to their children. For the youth, it meant seeing their parent and their mentor in the same space, side by side.

What we heard from families

During the program, one parent shared a moment out loud about the impact of her son’s time at Apex, something that she hadn’t realized until she saw it firsthand:

“I was very surprised to see how excited my child was when entering the room. He ran up to his Apex mentors, whom he has had for the past two years, and was so happy to see them; there was no shyness, uncertainty, etc., that I expected and see with him in most other social situations. It was amazing to see the trust and bonds that have already been established with his mentors!”

That same parent also talked with a volunteer about what they’re working on at home and shared tips on the best ways to support her son through different situations. That conversation gives his mentors new context for past moments and will shape how they support him going forward. That’s what a connected web of support looks like: a parent shares what she sees at home, mentors bring what they see at Apex, and the child benefits from both.

Learn more about Apex’s Elementary program

Opening Day is one way we ensure the adults supporting each child stay connected, too. Apex for Youth’s elementary programs bring 3rd-5th graders hands-on workshops, community-driven field trips, and cultural activities that spark curiosity, build teamwork, and help youth explore their identity and heritage. Each week, mentors and mentees connect in small groups

Learn more about our elementary programs →