Activities

Community Playground of Columbia, Inc. dba FUN CITY Youth Academy continues to provide a four- module project, tailoring programs to meet the varied needs of urban populations served. We offer a variety of structured activities to promote academic achievement, civic responsibility, cultural awareness, leadership, workforce readiness, and   entrepreneurial skill development for urban youth and adults.

FUN CITY participants are independent, self-directed, creative and inquisitive. Adult programming  encourages parental involvement in education through monthly workshops and site based mentoring.

Summer Youth Academy.  Licensed Summer Childcare and  Site-Based Youth Mentoring Academy for children and youth ages 6-16, running from June through August, 7:30 -4:30 p.m. housed at the historic Douglass High school, Columbia Missouri. Program Curriculum includes structured academic, social, health and vocational mentoring programs within culturally rich environment focused on enhancing literacy, math, science, computer technology, health, self-esteem, entrepreneurial skills and community development. Daily breakfast, lunch and snacks provided. Summer Youth Academy serves 150 inner-city youth. CPCI hires fifteen paid staff each summer. Teachers/Facilitators are a mixture of community leaders, public school teachers and college students.

Saturday Academy includes Site-based Mentoring and Cultural Enrichment for Youth ages 5-18 meeting from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. at different locations in the community; the Blind Boone Community Center at the Columbia Housing Authority, and other FCYA locations.  An optional snack/ lunch is served at 11:45am prior to the meeting.  Wrap-around programming to stay connected to the children and families served in the summer. We are tracking their academic achievement as well as providing incentives for children to better understand academic concepts as taught from a culturally inspired perspective. Site-based mentoring/tutoring provides structured hands on academic enrichment in literacy, science, math, entrepreneurship, and socialization with Cultural sensitivity training through, theater, art, Rites of Passage (self-esteem and conflict resolution skills) physical fitness, sewing, cooking, gardening, and more. Three full-time year-round staff oversee and structure programs; they     recruit, train and network to maintain collaborations that provide mentors, tutors, facilitators and teachers from various agencies.

Parent Network, meeting  monthly, provides social and community development skills through culturally sensitive workshops, small group mentoring and networking. Adult participants report stress and social isolation diminish while social support increase parental effectiveness. Donations from various businesses provide incentive gifts to increase consistent participation for busy parents. In addition, an established phone tree maintains communication among parents.

Examples of Curriculum Activities:

Academic Enrichment/A Way With Words Literacy Site Basic and Advanced Computer   Exploration Internet Access Computer Lab SETCLAE/Afro-centric  Entrepreneurial Business Development Spelling/Speech Communication/Black  History Bowl Cultural Performing Arts/Sounds of Our Souls Swimming/Physical Strength Training/Martial Arts Principles of Nguzo Saba (Kwanzaa) Foster Grandparents Program Field Trips Choir/Drumming Club 4-H Activities, including 'Mini Society' Ceramics & Pottery Sports Theaters

Please contact us at (573)256-1436 or email to funcity@coin.org