New program helps connect older kids to valuable activities

On a recent weekday, Rylea Iverson found herself talking taekwondo with the parent of a middle school student.

When the conversation concluded, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire had a new member enrolled in a program that will offer physical activity and group participation, expand self-confidence and, finally, be a lot of fun.

And it was a recently launched program through Sioux Falls Thrive that brought it to pass.

Sioux Falls Youth Connect is a website that links middle school and high school youths to activities and community events that build their skills and connections, said Michelle Erpenbach, Sioux Falls Thrive’s president. The organization’s mission is to help area children have the same opportunities to succeed by providing stability in out-of-school time, food security and housing.

Sioux Falls Youth Connect focuses on out-of-school time for children older than elementary school, a period that can be viewed as a time of disconnect. They may not feel connected at school and in busy families. The portal gives the hundreds of children who need activities after school a way to match their interests with what is offered.

“Our goal is to make it super-easy for families, kids and counselors and everybody to access that information quickly,” Erpenbach said. “There are tons of things for kids to do in this town, but how do you figure out what they are. These will be enrichment activities, learning about themselves as an individual, and arts and science, and all those sorts of things.”

Nothing similar exists. Its success will depend not only on its usage by kids, parents and school personnel but also the willingness of groups such as the Boys & Girls Clubs to populate the site with programs.

“I always come back to that concept that all of these kids are our kids,” Erpenbach said. “If we can figure out ways for systems to support this future workforce of ours, getting them into situations where they learn more about themselves and what it is to participate in community, it will benefit all of us.”

When the parent interested in taekwondo for her child reached out to Iverson, the teen program coordinator at the Boys & Girls Clubs, it was a chance to answer questions.

“I was able to elaborate more about the program, like how students learn the history of taekwondo, the values and expectations of practicing taekwondo and the discipline it takes to continue advancing in the program — and how it is all free,” Iverson said. “The time, uniforms and belts, testing materials — free.”

For Iverson, a member of the team behind the portal, it showed that in the short amount of time since the website’s release, it already is reaching people.

“Hopefully, the parent shares with others how this website helped connect them with our program and the great things we do,” Iverson said.

Middle school is sometimes the “forgotten” age group when it comes to out-of-school time, she said. Elementary schools have the Community Learning Centers program in place, and high school students can be more independent when it comes to transportation, jobs, school clubs and sports. Middle schools offer sports for seventh and eighth graders and a few clubs, “but otherwise what are the sixth graders going to do or the ones that aren’t interested in sports? This is for them,” Iverson said.

The website will help caregivers seeking a way their students in middle school or high school can become involved. The youths themselves can connect and participate in activities, meet students from other schools and do it in a safe and caring environment, Iverson said. Her organization will benefit because it can show the unique opportunities that the Boys & Girls Clubs makes available such as cooking, podcasting and esports.

“Learning new skills, especially in a group environment, is vital,” Iverson said. “Especially as electronics and social media are a huge component in young people’s lives, they sometimes miss learning how to work with others and behave in a group setting. In our program, we strive to offer programs and activities that teach lifelong skills they might not do elsewhere to help fill in the gaps that are vital to learning as they become young adults and, for many, strive to enter the workforce.”

Sioux Falls Youth Connect will make an impact on Sioux Falls as it becomes a one-stop shop for parents or caregivers, school counselors, mentors, youth group leaders and anyone who has a connection to a middle schooler or high schooler who wants something to do outside of school, Iverson said.

“Everyone wants to feel like they belong somewhere, to feel as if they’re a part of something bigger than themselves, and being connected to programs like Boys & Girls Clubs can help them find that,” she said.

The portal is designed to make sure students know how they can get to their chosen activities, Erpenbach said. Some organizations provide transportation, or there is a bus stop close by. Eventually, coding will allow students to access SAM on Demand and set up their own rides.

A future goal is to find the funding or business model to combine Sioux Falls Youth Connect with the 211 Helpline Center, Erpenbach said. First, Sioux Falls Thrive wants to evaluate its efficacy and work out any bugs.