Youth Programs  

The children growing up in northwest Independence and Sugar Creek need safe places and structured activities in their comunities, where they can play, learn new skills, and build positive relationships with their peers and with adults.  The after-school and summer hours can be times of great risk as well as opportunity for our young people.

The NorthWest Communities Development Corporation sponsors a variety of youth programs and is active in helping other western Independence organizations to serve young people as well.

1) Youth Programs at the Fairmount Community Center –

All-Star Cheerleaders:The All-Star Cheer and Drill Team meets in the Community Center on Mondays and Wednesdays and includes girls from 7 to 18 years of age.  The girls have gone to competition 4 years in a row, receiving three 1st place and one  2nd place trophy.  Because of the expense of school cheer teams, most if not all of our girls would not be able to participate in cheerleading at school.  The girls that participate must maintain an average GPA and stay in school.  The girls must raise their own money for costumes and entrance fees.  They do this by hosting a monthly dance for area teens.  The girls are also required to do community service hours to give back to the community. They have participated in our Christmas Open Houses and our Festivals.

Samoan Youth Association:The Samoan Youth Association provides Samoan youth with opportunities to socialize, to learn about their culture and heritage, and to participate in the broader community through service projects.  Service to others is an important principle in Samoan culture and the Samoan Youth Association plans and conducts a community service project on a monthly basis.  Occasional dances bring Samoan youth from throughout the metropolitan area.

Society of Young Magicians: The Society of Young Magicians meets monthly in the Community Center.  They have been meeting here for about 5 years.  The students that participate are generally in the top 2% of their class in school.  One of our young magicians recently won a competition in Las Vegas, (competing against adults).  The SYM puts on a yearly show and part of the proceeds are directed to the Community Center in return for the use of the center.

Community Service events:  Community Service gives young people a way to contribute to their communities, increasing self-esteem and building relationships between young and old.  Working with area high schools, churches, youth groups and neighborhoods, we organize youth and adults to participate in National Youth Service Day, Make a Difference Day and the Day of Caring.  We have also participated in all of the City of Independence Neighborhood Cleanup Events in the past two years.

2) Supporting Other Youth Programs –

Through our partnerships, NorthWest Communities Development Corporation also supports the expansion of quality youth programs at other organizations in western Independence:

Working with the churches, the Local Investment Commission, and the City of Sugar Creek, NorthWest Communities Development Corporation helped to launch the following programs in the past year:

• Mt. Washington United Methodist Youth Program
• Sugar Creek Parks and Recreation
• St. Ann Catholic Youth Program
• Maywood Baptist Summer Program
• Maywood Baptist Teen Jobs Club

Police Athletic League:As part of the U.S. Department of Justice Weed and Seed Initiative, the NorthWest Communities Development Corporation is working with Maywood Baptist Church, the Local Investment Commission and the Independence Police Department to launch a Police Athletic League for western Independence, beginning with after-school basketball games with youth, ages 13-18.  The friendly sports-focused environment allows relationships to grow between the teens, the police and other adults, building a community of support  and trust around our young people.