Y-Cop of Mount Vernon Inc

The Y-COP Out-of-School Care Program, a subcomponent of After School, provides a full day of meals, recreation, educational enrichment and social skill development for youth, ages six to 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., on days that parents must work but it is a scheduled day off during the school year. It is offered if more than ten youth are scheduled to participate. Students may go on field trips, watch movies, and participate in interactive discussions led by professionals in various fields including education, arts, law enforcement, the military, and more.

Please visit us at ycopmvny.org to learn more, or volunteer your time, talent, or treasures to Y-COP’s Out-of-School Care Program.

Youth, ages 5 to 13, enjoy activities such as horseback riding, rock climbing, hiking, and fishing on a boat, to get out of the typical urban setting. The Summer Day Camp Program, regulated by the Westchester County Department of Health is held for six weeks from July to August, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Children participate in academic enrichment, including reading and math, as well as recreation, such as tennis and swim instruction and lessons. Weekly field trips include the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, the Bronx Zoo, and the Mount Vernon Public Library. Campers also participate in interactive discussions led by professionals in various fields including education, arts, law enforcement, the military, and more.

Parents pay a nominal registration fee. Sibling discounts are available. Westchester County Department of Social Services Subsidies are accepted. For families that can prove economic hardship, partial scholarships are available.

Offered every Saturday from October to May, Y-COP’s Youth Development Basketball Program is open to boys and girls, ages five to 15. Youth learn the fundamentals of basketball, including, passing and dribbling, as well as how to be a good team player and how to have a positive competitive spirit. Many youths in this program have tried out for, and earned spots, on AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) teams and on their respective school’s basketball teams on various levels including the famous Mount Vernon High School varsity team. Y-COP’s Youth Development Basketball Program is a participating member of the USA Basketball Association.

Youth Development Basketball is $25 per session.

Y-COP’s new Alternative Care and Learning Program is the answer to a parent’s most pressing concern. With schools closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the uncertainty of when in-person schooling will occur, the staff at Y-COP has managed to cultivate a system that meets the need of both parent and child.

With the cooperation and support of the First United Methodist Church, where the program operates daily, parents drop their children off at the Alternative Care and Learning Program Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to get ready for a full day of schoolwork. The program is designed to assist school-aged children with their virtual learning assignments, help them stay focused, and provide educational and technical assistance as they do their coursework. With a total of 15 students enrolled and at least six different schools to navigate, the staff, under the supervision of Team Leader, Amirah Roberts, go above and beyond to make sure the kids stay on task. Breakfast and lunch

Out of parents’ demand for their children to remain a part of Y-COP programs after aging out of After School and Summer Day Camp, the Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program was created. Youth, ages 13 to 18, wishing to apply must write a well-thought-out essay that outlines solutions to issues in Mount Vernon and discuss it with a panel representative of the community.

The CITs help plan, prepare and participate in activities with their younger peers in After School and Summer Day Camp. They also help with setup, clean up, as well as shadow Head Counselors. When funding is available, stipends may be extended to CITs who successfully complete the program. Youth, of appropriate age, who successfully complete the CIT program are eligible to interview for a job as a Junior Counselor in the Summer Day Camp and After School programs as positions become available.

CITs also perform community service hours at area nursing homes, rehab centers, and assisted living facilities, as well as daycare

The Y-COP Girls Empowerment Group, a subcomponent of the After School Program, is offered to girls ages nine to 12. Girls learn about health and hygiene, build self-esteem and are provided with the tools necessary to be independent, demand respect and avoid negative influences.

The Girls Empowerment Group meets twice a week with Betsey Dorreliand and Officer Marilena Sophia of the Mount Vernon Police Department. As a law enforcement professional, “Officer Sophia” as she is affectionately called, and Betsey provide valuable lessons on how to stay out of trouble, how to resolve peer-to-peer conflict, and allows the girls to have positive interaction with the police and each other.

The Girls Empowerment Group spearheaded Y-COP’s first global outreach effort where they collected clothing, school supplies, and toiletries for a small village in the developing nation of Haiti.