Children of the Future

Children of the Future is an arts and public safety program for youth ages 5-14. The afterschool programming is free and available during the school year to students at selected 21st Century Community Learning Center sites operated by Columbus City Schools. Artists work at the programming centers to plan and conduct activities in dance, creative writing, music, theatre and visual arts. Along with the enhancement of math, science, social science and literacy skills that arts-based programming offers, Children of the Future emphasizes the daily development of constructive communication and conflict resolution skills as tools for coping with social pressure and temptations.

Children of the Future ended the 2006-2007 school year with 17 artists working at 29 school buildings (22 middle schools and seven elementary schools) within CCS. More than 1,458 CCS students ages 5-14 participated in Children of the Future arts-based educational activities through more than 17,000 contacts.

Children of the Future also provided weekly professional development sessions throughout the school year to its own artists and other afterschool program staff members who wished to attend. Participants in these weekly training sessions included Capital Kids, City Year Columbus, Afterschool Counts!, ArtSafe, Godman Guild, Communities In Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus and the YWCA Family Center.