WE PROMOTE VITALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Our programs support the social emotional health and mental well-being of children, teens and young adults in our community.
Upcoming Programs
New! College Coffee Chat
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The Rye Youth Council COLLEGE COFFEE CHAT program connects incoming first-year college students to upperclassmen on the same campus, to provide mentorship and ease the transition to college. This is an ongoing program.
Rye College Freshmen click here
Rye College Upperclassmen click here
Middle School Make a Grandfriend
This is a fun and unique opportunity for your middle schooler to visit with senior citizens at The Osborn Retirement Community on September 23rd.
Max 25 students per monthly session.
Participants receive community service hours.
So Now You Have a Cell Phone
Students, Parents & Caregivers:
Join us on October 7th for an informative evening on keeping kids safe and establishing guidelines for the respectful & happy use of their new cell phone.
Scheduling Young Children: How Much Is Too Much?
Extracurricular activities: how much is too much? Finding the balance between Too Much and Missing Out. Join RYC Youth Educator Jessica Lodato on Friday, September 27th for a candid discussion on the pros and cons of (over)scheduling your child(ren). Learn more and sign up here.
We engage, educate & empower OUR YOUTH
YOUTH PROGRAMMING
Youth Employment & Independent Life Skills
As early adulthood approaches, an increase in separation between parent and child naturally begins. The following programs provide teens with control over decisions in their lives, while knowing they are supported and guided to make good choices.
- Rye Youth Council Employment Services (RYCES) support teens in finding full and part-time jobs year round
- Life/Work Skills Workshops provide teens with crucial skills, such as interviewing for a job and creating a resume.
- Career GPS broadens teens perspectives on career choices based on their personal strengths, interests and passions.
After School Community Service and Leadership
Pre-Adolescence (Gr. 6-8) - Adolescence (Gr. 9-12) is the perfect age to encourage and guide children to make a commitment to genuine human interaction and to be in community with others. Socially and emotionally, our programming increases self-esteem by providing an opportunity to empower this age group to make a difference and be heard.
Supporting Youth Through Transitions
Transitions: Helping our children become aware of triggers that cause them stress, and brainstorming skills to cope with those triggers provides timeless skills. Programs held for middle school, high school and college.
Healthy Relationships: Socially and emotionally, children begin to separate more from their parents as they are either getting ready to, or are transitioning into the “larger world.” During this stage it is important to encourage children to feel confident in themselves and their values, trusting their decisions to avoid risky behaviors and relationships.
PARENT & CAREGIVER PROGRAMMING
From childhood through young adulthood we want to help children feel good in their own skin and to be able to appreciate and value their own differences. We nurture them through various anxieties and help them manage and alleviate the stresses that come with them. Early on we educate youth by establishing expectations and setting boundaries and, when necessary, implementing the appropriate consequences. Balancing children’s need for autonomy with the need for parental supervision can start as early as the toddler years and truly never ends, because parenting never really ends, it simply shifts. RYC programs provide parents and caregivers with great exposure and resources to help children through some of the more prominent transitions in their development.
SCHOOL PROGRAMMING
Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum
Our community wants the best educational experiences for our kids, who face increasing pressure to perform in an increasingly complex world. The Rye Youth Council supports children, teachers and parents in teaching social and emotional life skills to children in the classroom.
Board of Directors and Staff
Staff
Lisa Dominici, Executive Director, execdirector@ryeyouthcouncil.org
Jessica Lodato, Youth Educator, jlodato@ryeyouthcouncil.org
Board of Directors
Sharon Cammisa, Co-president
Lisa Ruderman Chen
Maureen Angelastro, Treasurer
Allison Chader
Stephen Fairchild
Beth Gallos, MA, CAS, Co-president
Laura Kovacs, M.Ed.
Jackie Mazzili, Secretary
Jennifer Reisner, LCSW
Stephanie Spierings, Co-president
Jonita Geelen Westheim
Marnie White, LCSW
Daryl Woolsey
RYC Employment Services Team (RYCES)
Allison Chader
Kristina Dorfman
Laura Kovacs, M.Ed.
Kassandra Souply
Elisabeth Thorington
Ex Officio Advisors
David Bluvol
Kristin Jautz
M. Kim O’Connor, LCSW
Kassandra Souply
Ward Urban