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Youth Programs
About Youth Programs
Allen Neighborhood Center hosts two successful youth programs. These programs are designated for different age groups and engage the children of the neighborhood in various ways while strengthening their understanding of community and empowering the Eastside through Edible Park, the Park Cart, and job skill enhancement.
Take Root Garden Club
Take Root Garden Club is a curriculum-based gardening and nutrition education program for youth ages 5-10. Offered as a collaborative partnership with Lansing Parks & Recreation, Take Root Garden Club is hosted at Foster Community Center, only a few blocks away from Allen Neighborhood Center. A combination of hands-on and assessment-based learning guides the city’s youngest neighbors through topics related to health, nutrition, native plants, and urban gardening.
Youth Service Corps
Youth Service Corps (YSC) is a community-driven, youth-led job and life skill development program for neighbors between the ages of 11-17. YSC was Allen Neighborhood Center’s very first program back in 1999 and grew out of a four-year-old ‘healthy communities’ initiative that mobilized neighbors to create a more vibrant community on Lansing’s Eastside.
Connect with us!
For more information about the Youth Programs, please contact
Kelsi Briana Smith
Youth Education Manager
(517) 999-3913