YMCA of South FloridaYouth Development Miami21st CCLC
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Free learning beyond the school day

Bright afternoons.Big possibilities.

YMCA of South Florida’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers give eligible Miami-Dade students a free, safe place to learn, create, move, and belong after school, during the summer, and on select Saturdays.

Find a program site
YMCA students gathered around a table displaying colorful butterfly art projects
YMCA students and program staff gathered together at a school
Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Florida

Afterschool

Dismissal to 6:00 PMWeekdays at participating schools

Summer camp

8:00 AM to 6:00 PMWeekdays at participating summer sites

Saturday Academy

Five-hour sessionsOffered on select Saturdays at participating sites
What students experience

A fuller day of learning.

Each 21st CCLC site connects school-day priorities with small-group academic support, hands-on discovery, healthy movement, student interests, and family learning.

01

Homework help and tutoring

Small-group support aligned to grades, assignments, FAST and benchmark information, teacher input, and school-day priorities. When there is no homework, staff use standards-aligned academic enrichment.

02

Literacy and YReads!

SIPPS-based foundational reading support where appropriate, plus phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, writing, academic discussion, and language-rich support for English learners.

03

Mathematics

Guided practice, fluency, number sense, multi-step problem solving, reteaching, and real-world applications aligned to Florida standards and local pacing.

04

STEM and Outdoor Adventurers

Hands-on inquiry, environmental literacy, observation, measurement, prediction, engineering challenges, and science vocabulary.

05

Project-Based Learning

Students research, design, build, revise, present, and create products that integrate ELA, mathematics, science, creativity, collaboration, and communication.

06

Civics and Resiliency

Florida-aligned civics, responsibility, citizenship, perseverance, empathy, decision-making, problem solving, self-management, conflict resolution, and positive relationships.

07

Youth Voice and Choice

Staff-approved academic enrichment options based on student interests. This is structured learning, not an unstructured free-choice period.

08

Health, nutrition, and fitness

Structured physical activity, Soccer for Success, cooperative games, hydration, nutrition education, teamwork, goal setting, and healthy routines.

09

Well-rounded enrichment

Nature Postings experiences, arts and cultural activities, character and service learning through Charity for Change, and approved student showcases or field experiences.

Family education and support

Learning continues at home.

Six 45- to 60-minute sessions are planned annually, generally from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Final dates are coordinated with each school and its families.

6 annual sessions50% family participation goal

YMCA Family Resource Advocates connect families with healthcare, food, childcare, housing, employment, public benefits, and other stabilization resources.

2026–2027 planFamily learning calendar
Planned monthFamily education topic
August 2026Beginning-of-year orientation and 21st CCLC program expectations
October 2026Supporting English Language Arts and mathematics at home
December 2026Civics for families: school systems, attendance, student responsibility, and communication
February 2027Navigating student progress, school supports, and family-school communication
April 2027Financial planning, household budgeting, and workforce resource referrals
June 2027Resiliency, healthy routines, responsible decision-making, and summer transition resources

The principal and school team support outreach, appropriate space, school-system information, and participation by relevant school staff.

2026–2027 program directory

Find your Y after the bell.

Explore all 21 current 21st CCLC schools in alphabetical order. Search by school, project, or contact, then filter by afterschool, summer camp, or Saturday Academy.

Current enrollment directory

21 sites shown

YMCA site phones are answered during program hours, generally 2:00–6:00 PM. Program availability, eligibility, and placement are confirmed during enrollment.

Progress toward goals & objectives

Strong momentum. Clear next steps.

The latest combined evaluations show measurable progress across academics, attendance, behavior, and student connection. Results below reflect the 2024–2025 project summatives and are labeled to preserve the context of each measure.

Math momentum

5 of 6full-year projects met the State Objective of Success on available Math FAST results.

School-day attendance

91.8–94.0%verified average daily attendance across the 12 full-year project sites.

Positive behavior

98–100%of measured students met the behavior-referral objective; suspension results were 100%.

Summer project spotlight

Project 4PCC2 exceeded key benchmarks.

At Colonial Drive Elementary and Morningside K–8 Academy, available results showed exceptional math performance and a strong sense of belonging.

Math FAST success96%
x
26 of 27 measured students
Safe & supportive relationships95%
x
53 of 56 measured students
Student engagement88%
x
49 of 56 measured students
Approved grant narratives

The plans behind the program.

Approved grant narratives are available by email request. This helps us send the most current approved version and avoids publishing a large document set that can become outdated.

Current files, shared directlyEmail John with the project name or school you need. He will send the appropriate approved narrative.

Document request

Need an approved narrative?

Send John M. Ortega, Vice President of Youth Development, a quick email. Include the project or school name so the correct, current file can be provided.

Email John to request documents jortega@ymcasouthflorida.org · 305-357-4000 ext. 1124
Project leadership

Questions? We’re here to help.

For program, grant, evaluation, or site coordination information, contact the YMCA of South Florida 21st CCLC leadership team.

Ready for brighter afternoons?

Find the 21st CCLC site that fits your family.

Explore enrollment

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