If you need an afterschool program in your neighborhood, information on improving reading skills or finding the nearest community center, DYCD funds a wide range of high-quality programs for youth of all ages. Check out discoverDYCD, or call the Youth Connect hotline at 1-800-246-4646 or 646-343-6800, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, to find your local program.

Learn & Earn is a year-round program for low-income high school juniors and seniors at risk of dropping out of school. Applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements. The program provides participants with college preparation, career-readiness, leadership development services, and a paid six-week summer internship. For more information, visit the Learn & Earn section of the DYCD website.

DYCD Democracy Corps Day of Action highlighted the work that SYEP 14 and 15-year-olds conducted this summer during their project-based learning work that focused on civic engagement topics including the 2020 Census, Environmental Justice, and Voter Registration. Over 700 youth from across NYC came together to showcase their winning presentations, perform and promote their work at City Tech, while their colleagues hosted additional rallies in Queens and Staten Island to help start their civic engagement work.

On August 8, NYC SYEP participants spent the day with New York’s Finest at our 3rd annual SYEP NYPD Career Day! Throughout the day, they were able to meet with police officers and explore the pipeline of diverse opportunities within the best police force in the country. Participants took part in simulation training, calisthenics & military drills, role-plays, and more! Check out the highlights on our Facebook page.

This summer, DYCD and Nike partnered to bring Zoom Clinics to 12 camps across the City. More than 1,500 campers from kindergarten through middle school developed skills in track & field, basketball, soccer, flag football, and breakdancing. Check out some photos from one of the basketball clinics on our Facebook page.

NYC has over 400 public high schools and 700+ available programs. Every 8th grade NYC student must apply to high school, and first-time 9th graders can apply as well. To learn more about completing the NYC high school application, visit one of the upcoming high school fairs.

The NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs is accepting applications for the 2019-2020 NYC Junior Ambassadors, an initiative empowering 7th graders in all five boroughs of New York City to become actively engaged with the United Nations and its mission of addressing the most pressing challenges in the world. Program benefits will include: (a) a curated tour of the United Nations headquarters, (b) a classroom visit from a United Nations diplomat, (c) a private year-end event celebration with all NYC Junior Ambassadors classrooms, and (d) a program certificate. Educators are required to include the United Nations in the classroom curriculum. For example, a science teacher might wish to focus his/her curricula on climate change by developing lesson plans that teach his/ her youth about the issue and daily actions they could take in order to protect the environment (i.e. recycling). To apply visit: nyc.gov/nycja.

Are you a New York City high school student who loves to write personal stories? You are invited to apply for the fall writing internship at the award-winning YCteen magazine. YCteen writers are mentored by a professional editor as they learn memoir-writing and journalism skills. The writers get to be a voice for other teens, and their work is published in print and online. Writers must be between the ages of 15 and 20 and must commit to participating for a minimum of three months. Applications are due by Friday, September 27, 2019. Those selected for an interview will be notified by October 4, and internships will start the week of October 7, unless you require a different start date. Interested students who can meet these requirements can learn more and submit an online application on the website.

The Brooklyn Book Festival is one of America’s premier book festivals and the largest free literary event in New York City. Presenting an array of national and international literary stars and emerging authors, the Festival includes a week of Bookend Events throughout New York City, a lively Children’s Day and a celebratory Festival Day with more than 300 authors plus 250 booksellers filling a vibrant outdoor Literary Marketplace. This hip, smart, diverse gathering attracts thousands of book lovers of all ages. For more information and the full list of authors visit their website.

NYC’s largest street festival takes over Downtown Brooklyn for its 43rd year, with ten blocks of food, performers, art, and more. Peruse dozens of Brooklyn-based food vendors, craft breweries, and artisanal shops, and try to catch all the acts at performance stages while burning a hole in your pocket with all the provisions. Pace yourself. A full list of event details can be found on the official Atlantic Antic website and their Facebook event page.

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is an intensive weeklong educational experience and scholarship sponsored by the United States Senate for outstanding high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. If you are a high school junior or senior already serving as an elected official in your student body or other state or community organization, you may already be qualified to apply. For full details, visit the United States Senate Youth website.

The 2020 Most Valuable Student scholarship contest is open to any high school senior who is a US citizen. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. The 20 top finalists will participate in an all-expense paid Leadership Weekend in Chicago, during which they’ll interview with the national judges. These 20 finalists will be vying for two first-place awards of $50,000; two second-place awards of $40,000; and two third-place awards of $30,000. The remaining 14 finalists will receive awards of $20,000. The 480 runners-up will receive fifth-place scholarships of $4,000.

As a scholarship seeker, you’re probably already aware of the importance of an education. But what about the naysayers? Have you come across someone who’s tried to talk you out of college, saying that it’s not worth it? The Education Matters Scholarship is giving you the chance to state why education matters. Submit your online answer to UNIGO by the November 30, 2019 deadline.