News & Articles

Through intensive expeditions with partners like Wilderness Adventures, NOLS, and North Carolina Outward Bound School, years of preparation come to life—at no cost to families, thanks to our community’s generosity.

Thanks to all our donors and community members who shared their voices in our spring strategic survey! Between April and June, we heard from more than 200 stakeholders—alumni, parents, youth, staff, donors, board members, and partners—whose insights are helping shape our 2026–2031 vision.

This summer’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) exemplified our commitment to community-centered programming that transforms DC into a classroom for career exploration.

Meet Some of Our First-Time JCLs! This summer, these amazing 10th graders will be working with our Rangers—our 6th graders and newest campers just beginning their City Kids journey.

This summer, we are getting ready for another season of connection, growth, and adventure—and reflecting deeply on what it truly means to create spaces where youth can thrive.

This event brought adventure…

City Kids is more than just outdoor adventures—our Job Experience Trainee (JET) program for high school students (grades 10-12) empowers participants to discover their passions, pursue their dreams, and step into their personal power.

At City Kids, we believe in the power of untold stories to inspire, educate, and transform.

Since joining the team in fall of 2024, Melanie has brought her expertise and passion for youth development and operational excellence to the forefront of our work.

In response to invaluable feedback and our commitment to evolving with the needs of our community, we are thrilled to unveil several enhancements to our program model this fall.

N’Dea returns as the Program Manager for the Elite and Leadership cohorts (8th-9th graders), bringing her deep passion for community and youth engagement, and insights from her personal journey through City Kids.

Taylore comes to City Kids from Prince George’s County, Maryland, bringing an impressive background in environmental education and leadership.

On June 20th, City Kids’ cornerstone experience—summer camp at Broken Arrow Ranch—will begin as our JET Camp Leaders (JCLs) and Mountaineers (7th Graders) arrive in Jackson Hole, Wyoming! Amidst the awe-inspiring landscapes of Yellowstone’s mountain ranges, campers will embark on a profound journey of self-discovery, exploring courage, compassion, excellence, and personal empowerment. Rangers (6th Grade) […]

Every summer, the City Kids Wilderness Project bids farewell to its graduating class of senior JETs (Job Experience Trainees) as they complete their high school journey and the transformative six-year City Kids program. Simultaneously, they extend a warm welcome to a new cohort of eager City Kids 6th graders, who are poised to embark on […]

At City Kids, summer’s arrival means it’s time to head west– but for City Kids’ JETs (Job Experience Trainees), the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides engagement opportunities for these high school students in DC, too. Serving as a host site for DC’s SYEP, City Kids welcomes JETs to join the […]

In May, City Kids Wilderness Project took part in the annual OAK Week, a dedicated week of advocacy promoting youth engagement and outdoor equity, organized by the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK). The Outdoors Alliance for Kids is a strategic partnership involving over 130 organizations sharing a commitment to equitable access to nature for children, […]

The theme of the City Kids program for high schoolers (JETs)  is “create your vision.” JETs build skills for the future while exploring the aspects of professionalism, outdoor leadership, and post-graduation opportunities that interest them most. But what exactly is a JET? High school participants choose their own summer adventures– they can develop their professional […]

This January marked another exhilarating season for City Kids as we embarked on our third year of Snow Club programming. Thanks to the generous support of the Vail Resort and Katz Amsterdam Foundation’s Epic for Everyone Youth Connection to Winter Sports Program, we were able to provide a transformative experience for our youth, expanding their […]

Did you know that Washington, DC, was rated the best big-city park system in the country for the third consecutive year by the Trust for Public Land? At City Kids, we believe that all DC residents should have equitable access to nature and feel welcome in outdoor spaces. Our programs, starting in 6th grade, give […]

Vanessa Romero’s experience with City Kids in 2003 played a pivotal role in shaping her adulthood, influencing her journey as a parent.

Empowering Youth Through Mindfulness In Year 1 of our groundbreaking partnership with Inward Bound Mindfulness, we’ll focus on empowering youth through mindfulness, sharing a commitment to personal empowerment, and nurturing a deep connection with nature. City Kids staff and Inward Bound faculty will lead programs to introduce the transformative potential of mindfulness, fostering self-awareness, well-being, […]

We love our community of volunteers! If you are interested in helping out for one or more of these drop-off opportunities, please email your availability to Yael at yael@citykidsdc.org, with “Friends of City Kids” in the subject line. Thank you! Preferred Drop-Off Time & Date Event Expected Attendance Food Needs 10am-4pm Thursday 12/07/23 JET Holiday […]

Mountaineers in the Potomac River in late October. City Kids participants and staff kicked off the fall programs season with two fun gatherings, one for volunteers and one for participants and families! We have weekly programs for all cohorts, and monthly events for participants across different cohorts to come together. We’re very excited to announce […]

Our new Camp Director, Montae Franklin, is a City Kids alum and former staff member! He met with Yael Schoenbaum, our new Development and Communications Manager, to share and reflect on his experiences, the impact of City Kids on his personal and professional development, and the significance of being a leader at such an influential […]

Summer camp at Broken Arrow Ranch is off to a fantastic start! The Fox Cabin successfully completed their first backpacking trip to Elkhart Lake. Part of the Mountaineer cohort (rising eighth-grade campers) braved challenging weather—the team’s ingenuity and determination kept the pace swift and morale high! Another part of the cohort, the Moose Cabin, canoed […]

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) at City Kids is not your typical summer job. SYEP is a locally funded six-week program sponsored by the Department of Employment Services (DOES) that enables high school participants (JETs) to earn money, gain positive work experience and exposure, and develop essential skills to thrive professionally. Arii Sylvers, Program […]

We are thrilled to announce an exciting partnership that will amplify our mission of connecting D.C. youth with nature and nurturing their sense of belonging and resiliency. This spring, City Kids has been invited to join Conservation Nation and Inward Bound Mindfulness Education in The Rewilding Collective to embark on a transformative journey of exploration, […]

We are happy to introduce you to Caroline Hamric, who joined the City Kids staff as our Deputy Director in September. Q: Welcome to City Kids Caroline! Tell us about yourself and what you bring to City Kids. A: Thank you! I’m so pleased to have joined the City Kids team. I’m a Virginia native […]

by Rodney Fuller, Director of Programs DC For the first time since the fall of 2019, we have over 20 trips planned for City Kids youth this season! City Kids is excited to welcome our new JET Program Manager, Ginny Brooks, who joined our team full-time in September. Prior to this fall, Ginny served as […]

As the Mountaineer cohort returned to their home away from home, you could see the smiles spread across their faces as they stepped off the bus at Broken Arrow Ranch. After a long 14-hour day of travel filled with stories of past adventures and anticipation of the trips to come, Summer Camp at City Kids […]

On June 4th, 2022, twelve participants of the brand new Ranger Cohort attended a polo clinic that was led by City Kids partner organization, Recreational Habits. Recreational Habits is a clothing brand that aims to bring the exclusive world of recreational field sports and country living to traditionally underrepresented communities. To start the day off, […]

For youth living in Washington DC, summers are filled with local traditions and rites of passage. One specific rite of passage is the Mayor Marion S. Barry’s Summer Youth Employment Program. A locally funded initiative sponsored by the Department of Employment Services (DOES) that provides District youth ages 14 to 24 with enriching and constructive […]

Victor Medina – Ranger & Mountaineer Program Manager Victor Medina comes to City Kids from Groundwork Hudson Valley where, as the Youth Programs Manager, he worked to inspire youth to take on conservation challenges and cultivate a relationship with the natural spaces in their communities. His passion for the outdoors developed through a youth program […]

City Kids is currently hiring for our summer seasonal staff team in Jackson, Wyoming.  This is a tremendous opportunity to be a part of a mission-driven, cohort-based youth development organization, serving DC youth from sixth grade through high school and beyond. In this continuous learning environment, each team member can make a big impact in […]

By Dan Ebert, Development Manager and Victor Medina, Ranger & Mountaineer Program Manager   This January and February, City Kids implemented our first ever Snow Club programming for all youth! As a grantee of Vail Resort + Katz Amsterdam Foundation’s Epic for Everyone Youth Connection to Winter Sports Program, City Kids was thrilled to participate […]

By Rodney Fuller, Director of Programs DC Greetings City Kids Family! Spring has arrived in DC, and with it, exciting updates from City Kids. Our extraordinary program team just completed a series of five Snow Club trips to Whitetail resorts in Mercersburg, PA. All cohorts were represented and the youth performed amazingly on the slopes. […]

Check out all of the trips that City Kids has planned for the fall!

Meet the new Director of Programs in DC, Rodney Fuller and read about the 23 days he spent in the Rocky Mountains this summer.

City Kids is one of the newest members of the Fight For Children Youth Development Institute.

City Kids partners with the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program to provide DC youth with more opportunities to ride horses.

Vail Resorts and the Katz Amsterdam Foundation will fund five on-snow sessions for City Kids youth during the winter of 2022.

Learn more about SYEP and the 6 weeks of virtual programming that City Kids facilitated for participants while they were in DC over the summer.

As I write this, it is hard to believe that we are a week away from wrapping up our 2021 summer at Broken Arrow Ranch in Jackson Hole, WY.

Every summer, City Kids’ senior JETs have the opportunity to climb the Grand Teton, the tallest peak in the Teton range with its summit standing at over two and a half miles above sea level.

For over 10 years, Kitty and John Resor have graciously hosted the City Kids Summer Celebration at their home in Teton Valley. This year was a special celebration as we gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the organization.

Written by Meena Fernald, Associate Program Director   Timia Shaffer is an entrepreneur, business owner, high school senior, and City Kids JET. A few months shy of eighteen years old, she has navigated the pandemic with intention – finding a balance between her schoolwork, hair braiding business (Different Styles), family commitments (like spending time with […]

After a few weeks off during our winter break, City Kids participants and staff were excited to resume programming as the Winter/Spring 2021 Program Season launched in early February.  In addition to camper and JET cohort-level programming, we are virtually offering all CK youth programs to continue deepening connections with youth across all age groups. […]

At the start of the new year, City Kids was fortunate to be joined by two new staff members. Starting with the new JET Program Manager, Paige McLaughlin. Paige joined the team in January and will be overseeing the planning and implementation of JET Programming. The JET Program is designed to give experienced City Kids […]

City Kids kicked off our 2020-21 Program Year on Monday, September 28th with our Fall Kick-off Event. Typically, the kick-off event is held in-person at our City Kids Office. This year, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we invited City Kids participants, their families, current staff, volunteers, and Board Members to a virtual Zoom event. […]

Learn more about how Iisis, City Kids Alum, is making the most of 2020 with the skills she gained at City Kids.

Check out the second episode of JET Talks, a new podcast designed and created by City Kids JETs for the City Kids community. Throughout the year, a small group of JET participants will share stories and explore meaningful themes about their City Kids experiences.   *NEW* Episode 2: Family & Friendship Reflections on the power […]

City Kids is proud to join the over 200 nonprofits who are participating in Old Bill’s Fun Run this year. Old Bill’s has always been one of the largest fundraisers each year for City Kids and this year it will be the most crucial fundraising effort in the event’s 24-year history.  While we are not […]

As you likely know, DC Public Schools will move to virtual and distance learning for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. In an effort to support our participants and their families during what we know will be a complicated fall, City Kids is evolving our model based on what the families involved in the […]

City Kids kicked off its 2020 virtual summer program season with a Zoom ceremony on Saturday, June 13th that gave an overview of upcoming virtual Summer Programs and honored our graduating Seniors JETs (12th grade participants). We reviewed all the amazing programs completed in-person and virtually during the school year in DC and then covered […]

At the end of last month, we marked Eloise Russo’s departure from City Kids after 10 years of service to the organization. Our programs, staff and systems thrived under her guidance and  we are so grateful for the clear vision, charismatic leadership and ability to sustain and grow City Kids over the course of the […]

On Saturday, February 1, as Elite & Leadership Program Coordinator, N’Dea Stewart led 10 City Kids from the Leadership cohort in the first of several indoor rock climbing trips of the year.

As we start the new year, we are fortunate to be joined by several new staff members.

Our Winter/Spring program season kicked off on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at Whitetail Ski Resort in Mercersburg, PA. In this cross-program level activity, over 20 Leadership (9th grade) and JET (10th-12th grade) participants spent the day snow tubing.