Launch
Play officially launched with its Summer Play program. This free-to-all event combines games, crafts, music, and giveaways to call our community to engage in relationship building and play together.
After School Play Launches
Play launched its After School Play program for children in grades K-5 (now 1st-6th). For the 2016-17 academic year, After School Play ran two 8-week sessions and one 6-week session. The program originally served 35-40 kids each session. Play programs included basketball, coding, robotics, cheerleading, futsal, and the Brookside 500.
First Grant
Play was awarded an $8,000 inaugural grant from the Indy Eleven Soccer Foundation to create a formalized futsal program for After School Play.
After School Expansion
After School Play expanded to serve grades 1-6 and switched its schedule to four, 6-week sessions throughout the school year. Additionally, the program made the change to increase numbers to keep a 1:3 child to adult ratio. The After School Play program served an average of 30 children each session. A larger focus was also made on parent engagement and evaluation of social-emotional growth of participants. Play programs included basketball, coding, robotics, futsal, group games, art club, theater, and the Brookside 500.
Grant for Teen Programming
Play was awarded a $30,000 Community Ministry Grant from the Center for Congregations to begin the process of creating programming for teenagers in 7th-12th grade. This grant allowed Play staff to research and plan the eventual launch of the Education and Employment Academy.
Play Camps
Play launched a new summertime program called Play Camps. These three, one-week long day camps served 30 children in grades 1st-6th as they experienced programming focused on Sports, STEM, and the Arts. Play Camps is a collaboration between over a dozen partners and mission trip teams from Mission Indy to provide quality summertime programming for children in the Brookside neighborhood.
$100k to Launch Academy for Teens
Brookside CDC was awarded a $100,000 grant through Impact 100 to launch the Education and Employment Academy in August 2018. This new program will focus on developing the passion areas of students who have come through the elementary-age program, allowing them to find potential career opportunities in a field related to the areas that they are passionate about. The Education and Employment Academy will provide hope and opportunity to teenagers in our community.
Academy Launch
Play launched the Education and Employment Academy with a group of 10 middle and high school students.
Youth Room Renovation
The renovation of the Education and Employment Academy room was completed. Youth, staff, and media were on hand to celebrate the official opening of the Academy room.
Grant for Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
Play was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Anthem Foundation to build out programming that will promote healthy lifestyles for children and family in the Brookside neighborhood.
