It’s early June at Apple Grove Elementary and the smell of popcorn fills the air. A red carpet is rolled out across the school’s auditorium. As the lights dim, an excited hush falls over the crowd.
This isn’t your average school night—it’s premiere night for the students of Melwood Community Services’ Youth Enrichment Services (YES) Program.
Forty elementary-aged students who had spent the year discovering their passions and learning new skills were ready to show parents, caregivers, teachers, and community members all that they had accomplished. Their efforts and growth were captured in a documentary-style film they helped brainstorm, co-create and produce, alongside a professional videographer.
Operated by Melwood Community Services, the YES Program is an inclusive, after-school enrichment program that relies on strengths-based learning to encourage self-esteem, foster independence, and introduce students from underserved communities to experiences that could lead to career paths.
Throughout the year, students engaged in a variety of enriching activities, ranging from a mock trial where they learned about the criminal justice system, to medical roleplay, complete with hands-on access to stethoscopes and blood pressure machines. Each activity was led by an expert in that particular field and came with a group activity designed to blend fun, purpose, and real-world skills.
The students chose “YES: UNLEASHED” for the name of the documentary, which program director Ramica Chase thought was especially fitting.
“This year we challenged our students to dig deep…to step outside of their comfort zones and to explore who they are. The result is the kind of transformation you can’t write out on paper,” Chase said. “I’ve seen an increase in student confidence, curiosity, and teamwork. These students have unleashed their ideas, voices, and talents, and they’ve done it with pride and purpose.”
For families and students, YES has become more than a program—it’s a place where futures begin to take shape, including for 10-year-old Kylee Smith, who said YES helped her refine ideas for her business and cultivate new strategies to make it successful.
And on premiere night, under the spotlight, it was clear: these kids are ready for whatever comes next.
