Pathways Youth Ministry

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths."  Psalms 25:4 (NIV)

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52 (NIV)

Pathways, the youth ministry of The City Mission, inspires youth to a future through the Bible and growth opportunities with an emphasis on fun, safety, creativity, scripture, scholarship, and leadership. All programs are offered free of charge and include free summer camp, holiday incentives for families, transportation from participating schools and targeted neighborhoods, as well as notary service.  Pathways Youth Center offers a safe, wholesome and supervised environment with all staff and volunteers being trained and approved for the care, custody and control of children.

 

Elementary School Program

Pathways Youth Center provides free afterschool care for kindergarten through sixth grade students from participating 2:30 PM dismissed schools. Each day these students receive a snack and participate in both high and low energy activities. Activities include playground time, sports or gym games, arts and crafts, a mobile library, homework assistance, Bible study, the creative arts and special guests. A computer learning center provides math and reading fun that results in improved scores.  Fun day activities and field trips are the rewards for cooperative behavior and faithful attendance.

Elementary Afterschool Program provides:
• Math and reading enrichment, tutoring and a computer learning center
• Recreation, afternoon snacks and field trips
• Special guests like the mobile library, Ambassadors in Sport soccer instruction and CSU occupational therapy
• Transportation
• And Bible study

Junior High and Senior High Clubs

Senior high youth (grades 9-12) can come on Tuesday nights and Junior high youth (grades 6-8) can come on Thursday nights for club. During club night, students participate in small group sessions, sports like basketball and volleyball, snacks, homework assistance and other creative activities and programs.  High school students can even earn college scholarships up to $10,000.00 through their participation.  

Wednesday night is dedicated to creative programming.  Both junior and senior high youth are invited to come back for an additional night to participate in activities like entrepreneurship, drama, praise dancing, tutoring, OGT preparation and career development.

Teen Clubs provide:
• Weekly meetings (Food is provided)
• Transportation (targeted areas)
• Recreations, field trips, retreats

• Exciting and relevant Bible teaching
•College Scholarship (Senior High students only)

Creative Programming:
• Drama Team
• Praise Dancing
• Dare to Dream / Entrepreneurship Training

• Chess Club

• Mentoring

• Project SUCCESS (OGT preparation and career achievement)

Summer Camps

Grand Valley Christian Retreat Center's 260 acres in Ashtabula County are the perfect spot for a life-changing week for children who may never have been outside of the city. In 2007, 107 elementary, 132 junior high and 88 senior high students attended the free overnight camp at Grand Valley. See our June Newsletter for more details.

• Weeklong overnight camp
• Christ-centered teaching and activities
• Summer work opportunities

To help send children to summer camp, you can click on the "Give Now" button and select "Camp Ministry."

On average, 88 children each day attended our day camp at our main downtown campus.

Victory Program

The Victory Program at The City Mission is a new initiative designed to help teens move from truancy, homelessness, and repeated suspension to being a productive citizen of society. The program was developed in collaboration with schools, police and the courts. Please contact Rev. Lynda Axson at (216) 431-3510 x230 for details.

The daytime drop-in program's hours at the Pathways Youth Center are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to

1:30 PM.

• A safe and fun alternative for students who are truant, suspended or homeless

• A way to keep them from falling further behind in school through homework assistance
• An avenue to serve the community

• An opportunity to address the reasons life has become the way it is

• Activities that will encourage and inspire students to better themselves
• Daily meals

List of items needed by the Victory Program

Other programs and activities

Pathways looks for opportunities to enrich the lives of children in may ways including:

• Spring basketball league (boys ages 13-18)
• Black History Programs
• Summer day camps

 

The Parent Ministry

IParents can feel overwhelmed with the challenges their children face in our culture. The Parents Ministry helps them in their critical role with activities such as bi-weekly Bible studies and an annual retreat. For some, the most important benefit is knowing the staff and volunteers care about them and their children. They are not alone.

Elementary Afterschool Ministry and Summer Ministry Team

We search for dedicated, caring individuals to join with our Elementary Afterschool Ministry during the school year and college-age adults to join with our Summer Ministry Team.

Note: Summer Missionary Team positions have been posted on our Employment Page.

For information about Pathways Youth Ministry contact:

Luvirt Parker

216-431-3520
lparker@thecitymission.org