Bildersee Beacon is a school based community center located in IS 68 in the Carnasie section of Brooklyn. The program hours of operation are Monday through Friday 2:30pm-10:00pm and Saturday’s 10:00am-6:00pm. The Beacon offers a comprehensive array of FREE youth and adult programs in 8 core service areas: The schedule of school age, teen and adult activities with days and times are listed on the activity schedule.

Youth Development: At Bildersee Beacon youth attend workshops and engage in activities and events where they learn information to apply to practice as youth volunteers, mentors assistant instructors, volunteer office staff and entrepreneurship opportunities. These processes and engagement automatically involves other young people, adults, family and community. The Youth Development curriculum helps them to build essential skills and competencies while being in a safe and cared for, valued, useful, family and community environment where they can receive the supports they need along the way.

Academic Enhancement: Bildersee Beacon promotes academic success for school-age participants by providing homework assistance Monday thru Friday 3p-6pm and reading/math tutorial on Saturdays 10am-12pm. For High School participants we offer the following: SAT Prep, Regents Prep on individual basis annually in October and December, College Tours and Tutoring Assistance in various academic subjects. These programs provide participants with the assistance they need based on their individual academic requirements from basic skills development to academic support for transition into college.

Career Awareness/School to Work Transition: Participants learn resume writing, career exploration, engage in mock job interviews and learn to use the internet for job search. These services help youth and adults develop the skills and attitudes they need to find and keep employment. Middle/High School participant’s session start April 1st- June 30th annually to prepare for their summer youth employment opportunities, Adults can engage in these learning opportunities during their Computer Literacy training.

Life Skills: Youth engage in activities and workshops that teach and promote positive behaviour that enables them to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. They learn and apply skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking, to personal skills such as self-awareness, and to interpersonal skills. These learned competencies allow them to take action and generate change and experience in a safe and supportive environment the freedom to decide what to do and who to be.

Community Building: Our Youth Leadership and Development program provides many opportunities for youth to develop and implement community projects such as: neighborhood clean-ups, feeding the less fortunate, visiting the elderly/children’s hospitals and facilitating program events/ collaborating with the Parent Council and other community organizations on addressing issues in their community that need to change for the better.

Recreation: Youth and adults engage in recreational activities of their choice such as: soccer/basketball clinics, cultural/hip hop dance, creative arts, handi-crafts, drama and modeling and beauty shop where they are able to be self expressive and enhance and develop their physical, social and artistic skills.

Community Service: Service is intended to strengthen adults and young peoples' senses of civic engagement and community, and to help them achieve their educational, developmental and social goals. Participants at Bildersee meet as Youth Councils, Parent Councils, and Advisory Councils to develop community service projects to improve their community and program. They design and implement services based on the schedule dates they decide as individual or collective groups.

Supportive Relationships: Mentoring, Parent Council, Volunteers/Internships and opportunities for youth and adult to collaborate on events and projects and to engage together in activities. Supportive relationships with non-parent adults can powerfully influence the course and quality of adolescents’ lives. Indeed, researchers at the Search Institute identified “adult role models,” “supportive relationship with three or more other adults,” and “adults in community valuing youth” as essential to youth’s health and well-being (Benson, et al., 1998). To support our supportive relationship programs you can meet with a Beacon office representative, select the area of the program you would like to provide service, fill out application and commit to dates and times you select.

Registration: Beacon Afterschool registration begins the 4th week of August Monday through Friday 3pm-6pm and is ongoing throughout the school year Monday through Friday 3pm-7pm. Saturday Performing Arts Program registration begins the last Saturday in September 1pm-3pm and is ongoing throughout the school year 11am-3pm. Teen and Adult program registration begins the 1st week of September, Monday through Friday 3pm-7pm and is ongoing throughout the school year 3pm-7pm. Summer Camp application distribution is the 2nd Saturday in February 1pm-3pm Summer Camp application return is the 3rd Saturday in March 1pm-3pm. Start dates for all programs are posted annually.

Registration Requirements: Afterschool and Saturday Program School Age registration -5 and in school to 13 years of age and teen applications 14-17 years of age are required to submit a complete application with parent signature. Required documents are 2 passport size pictures, copy of birth certificate, and medical including all immunization records. Adults 18 years and older are required to submit a complete application with signature and a copy of New York State ID or Passport ID. All applications can be obtained in the Beacon Office room 160.

Beacon Homework Assistance Program: These services are for school-age youth 5years old and in school-13 years the day begins at 3pm with a hot nutritional lunch. A hot lunch enhances learning abilities - studies have shown that children concentrate better in lessons if they have had a fulfilling lunchtime meal. It also teaches children the social skills involved with eating with others and how to make choices. From 4pm-5:30pm our participants are then age/developmentally grouped in a classroom setting where they receive assistance with their homework from Instructors and young adult volunteers who have a love for children and a dedication to help children develop good homework habits for successful completion of their assignments.

Beacon Holidays and Recess: To accommodate the working parent Bildersee Beacon operates program during on holidays and recesses from 8am-6pm. Please check your child’s/children’s school schedule for these dates annually, Winter Recess, Mid-Winter Recess and Spring Recess and closed holidays. The recess and holiday activity schedule is designed for fun and engaging recreation and performing arts activities. Breakfast, lunch, Snack, African/Cultural Dance, Arts & Crafts, creative arts, Hip Hop Dance, Structured Gym, Modeling and Beauty Shop, no Homework Assistance or Adult activities during recess.

Pre-Teen & Teen Programs: Are from 6pm-10pm where Beacon incorporates teen input when developing the program design. Creating opportunities for them to engage and develop positive activities and events based on their needs and desires. This allows them to develop life and leadership skills while growing socially, emotionally and academically. Beacon offers boy’s clubs, just for girls, basketball clinics, dance, modeling, etc. Our Youth Council/Leadership program is designed to provide youth with the skills necessary to empower themselves and others. To help them gain self esteem and a new understanding of the important roles they play in the preservation, creation or destruction of their neighborhood and their own people.

Adult Programs: Are from 6pm-10pm where adults can continue their education, earning a GED or learning English as a Second Language. They can also enroll in our Computer Literacy Program or join the Parent Advisory Council. Adults can also participant in our Supportive Relationship programs such as Mentoring, Volunteer Instructors, Event Planners, and Tutors for the afterschool, evening and Saturday Performing Arts Program. “Adult activities support the Beacon’s role as a community center, but more specifically provide another way for Beacon to strengthen families, children and young people”. (DYCD)

Bildersee Beacon Saturday Performing Arts Program: Begins the 1st Saturday in October from 10am-6pm in order for your child/children to participate parents must complete a Saturday application and choose the activities their children will participate in. If your child is registered in the afterschool program you do not have to submit additional required documents. If your child is just a Saturday Program participate you must submit with application 2 passport size pictures, copy of birth certificate and medical including all immunization records. The Saturday Performing Arts program offers sports, recreation, dance, creative arts, modeling and beauty shop, handy crafts and opportunity for community service credits for volunteering.

Bildersee Beacon Parent Council: The Parent Council is a body of parents who support the Beacon youth and adult programming by assisting in developing opportunities and activities to bring more parents as participants and encourage parent volunteerism. To join the Parent Council you must have a child registered in the Beacon program fill out an application and be willing to commit to the function you want to serve as a parent council member.

Bildersee Beacon Youth Council: Beacon has a Middle School and High School Youth Council. Whose mission is to improve the way the community views young people and the way youth look at their futures. We believe that education is the key to success. We are seeking to change the way society sees our youth by establishing trusting relationships within the school our program is based and the adults and seniors in our community who have lost faith. Our wish is that the people and businesses in the community that have extended a hand in the past will continue to support us. Together as a community we nurture, empower and mold positive leaders of tomorrow. Joining the Beacon Youth Council/Youth Leadership and Development program provides an opportunity for young people to develop positive leadership skill and earn community service credits.

Bildersee Beacon Advisory Council: The Advisory Council meets 4 times per year and consist of committed community membership that will assist in designing and informing relevant programming, volunteer support and bringing in resources to enhance the Beacon program. You can become one of the vibrant, active and involved group representatives who will have a stake in the success of the program. To become a member speak with the Beacon Director share your interest and contribution, complete an application and take part in shaping the Beacon to serve the needs of your community.

Bildersee Beacon Summer Camp: Beacon provides a fun and engaging summer camp for youth 5 and in school to 12 years old. The program run for 7 weeks during the months of July to August free breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided daily. The morning session offers fun structured activities in education, creative arts, handy crafts, theatrics, table games and much more. The afternoon sessions offer sports, recreation and performing arts. Tuesdays and Thursdays are community and inner city field trips. In order to secure a space for your child/children you must adhere to the application distribution date 2nd Saturday in February 1-3pm and return 3rd Saturday in March 1-3pm. There is limited space so placements are on a first come, first serve basis.

Bildersee Beacon Volunteer and Internship: At Beacon volunteers appreciate the new skills they gain as part of their experience. They are given unique opportunities to develop leadership, communication, interpersonal, organizational skills. In addition, volunteering creates a sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment, as well as offering the many personal rewards while making a positive contribution in the lives of others. Volunteer/internship can increase personal knowledge, provide personal satisfaction, improve a job resume and enhance a college application. Take advantage of the offer to impact the lives of young people at Beacon. To become a volunteer or do internship meet with a Beacon office representative share your interest and fill out the application Monday – Friday 3pm-7pm and Saturday’s 11am-3pm.

The Following groups are co-locaters or use the Bildersee Beacon for their activities, serve as volunteers or have linkage agreements with our programs:

Brooklyn Blizzards Youth Organization
Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office
Brooklyn South Community Affairs Bureau
Caribbean Women’s Health Association
Community Education Council District 18
Department of Education
Five Boro Soccer League
Flatbush East CDC
Girls Scouts & Boy Scouts
Kingsboro Jewish Medical Center
Kings County Hospital Center
IS 68 and Parent Coordinators
New York City Council 41st District
NYPD 69th Precinct Youth Services
NYPD P.A.L Liaison Unit
Roots Basketball
Soccer Kids Incorporated
SUNY Downstate UNB
Tri-Am Sports Club
Tots for Teens
The Child Development Association
South Shore High School
Alliance Computing Solution
Cornell University
Our Children Connections Council Inc.
Caring Parents Advisory Council