Child Center Of NY Welcomed As New Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Beacon After School Provider With Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Yesterday In Schoolyard

The Child Center of New York was welcomed as the new Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Beacon After School Program provider with a ribbon cutting ceremony in the schoolyard yesterday afternoon.

Celebrating the Child Center of NY PS/IS 217 Roosevelt Island Beacon After School ribbon cutting ceremony on its first day of providing services was NYC Council Member Ben Kallos, Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal, Child Center of NY VP of Youth Development Nicholas Ferreira,  PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman, PS/IS 217 PTA President Erin Olavesen and PS/IS 217 students.





Following the Ribbon Cutting, students asked for and received their own piece of the ribbon as a souvenir.



According to this Press Release from Roosevelt Island NYC Council Member Ben Kallos:

Residents, elected officials, school and program administrators gathered yesterday September 18 at PS/IS 217 to welcome Child Center of NY to Roosevelt Island as the Beacon after-school program provider. In April of 2017, the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) issued a request for proposal (RFP) for providers to offer Beacon after-school programming at the Roosevelt Island school to a growing population of school-aged children on the Island. By mid-summer, DYCD had selected a winner, Child Center of NY. Today the doors to the new Beacon after-school program were opened by Council Member Ben Kallos, Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright and other community leaders including Mandana Beckman Principal at PS/IS 217 where the programming will be held.

The Child Center of NY is based in Queens New York and has been a children’s care provider since 1953. Each year its services reach more than 26,000 children and families across New York City.

The programs and services offered by Child Center of NY are:

• Early Childhood Education
• Behavioral Health
• Health Homes & Family Integrated Care
• Prevention and Family Support
• Youth Development

Beacon Youth Programs that will be serviced by Child Center of NY on Roosevelt Island are:

• Academic Enhancement: Activities designed to help with school, including tutoring, homework help, reading clubs, and financial literacy
• Life Skills: Activities designed to increase personal responsibility, self-esteem, and confidence.
• Career Awareness/School to Work Transition: Activities designed to educate young people on career opportunities and assist with the transition to work or higher education
• Civic Engagement/Community Building: Activities designed to strengthen leadership skills, community awareness, and civic responsibility.
• Recreation/Health & Fitness: Activities designed to promote healthy lifestyles such as cooking programs and organized sports.
• Culture/Art: Activities designed to provide students with opportunities to express themselves through music, dance, photography, and drama.

"It is truly a pleasure to welcome the Child Center of NY to Roosevelt Island where they will bring educational, civic, and recreational opportunities to the young people they will serve,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “Thank you to the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, and PS/IS 217 for working with the Child Center of New York to make their transition to Roosevelt Island as smooth as possible.”

“I offer my welcome to The Child Center of NY, a new member of the Roosevelt Island Community. They will play a vital role in educating our young and in providing critical resources to hundreds of families. As a Member of the Assembly Education Committee, I am committed to working to obtain necessary resources and funding in Albany so that programs like this ensure that every child in our community has an equal opportunity in shaping the future of our city and our great state of New York,” said Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright.

"The Child Center of NY is thrilled to have been selected as the new Beacon provider on Roosevelt Island! We want to thank DYCD, the PS/IS 217 school and PTA, Councilman Kallos, and the entire local Roosevelt Island community for your help and support during this transition. We are excited to work alongside all of you to develop a dynamic program that offers a wide range of academic; recreational; social-emotional; health; and civic engagement opportunities to the entire community," Nicholas Ferreira Vice President. Youth Development at Child Care Center NY."

"We welcome the Child Center of NY to our school community at PS/IS 217. After school programs play a key part in a child's education and we are excited to work with the Child Center on NY as a partner in our student's well-being and academic achievement. Thank you to Councilman Ben Kallos for being a staunch advocate for the families at 217," said PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman.

The Child Center of NY is seeking additional funding for enhanced services for Roosevelt Island Beacon After School program.