CHARLOTTE, N.C. (October 21, 2022) Laughter and time spent playing with friends. The simple joys of childhood and now a guarantee at the YMCAs of Greater Charlotte.

For a time during the pandemic, these simple pleasures were limited for the Queen City's youth amid safety concerns as leaders, parents, and guardians worked to make sense of the new normal. Kids' lives were shifted and flipped along with the rest of the country's workforce. But what was first offered as a glimmer of hope during the pandemic for Charlotte's teens is now far more than a weekend program. Now, partly thanks to the City of Charlotte's $2 million donation, Level Up continues to grow into a community staple.

For many, it seemed like the world stopped during the pandemic. Still, for teenagers – our community's future leaders – things like soft skill development, social skills, and education toward career development had to keep going.

Teenagers, like now 14-year-old Monique, needed a place to hang out with friends while her guardian, Lisa Wright, an elementary school teacher, took just a moment to rest after school before running errands for the household. "It just gave me a really good feeling," Ms. Wright beamed. "You know, it was okay to leave her here." 

Proud guardian Ms. Wright says she is grateful for programs like Level Up and is happy to know that the City of Charlotte supports her and other parents throughout the Queen City with community partners like the YMCA.

The Greater YMCA offers food, games, gym access, and music during evenings and on weekends at six locations across the city. Adaptive sports programming has now been integrated with the activities offered during the afterschool and weekend hours of the Level Up program. Wright says the ever-improving actives helped Monique open up and form positive connections with other kids, which she knows as an expert educator, is vital to a child's healthy development into a successful adult. Over time, Wright says she has seen 'Monique's apprehension turn into anticipation.

"Monique would not get out of the car at first," Ms. Wright said with a smile. "Because of the YMCA, she plays adaptive basketball now and asks me all the time, 'When are we gonna play basketball again?'"

Melissa Orr has seen thousands of kids during her 22 years with the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. She's currently the Associate Executive Director of Youth Development & Programs at the Keith YMCA, one of the busiest locations.

"It's so great, you can't even put it into words," Orr said, "to see the kids drop all their worries and frustrations at the door to just be kids is truly heartwarming and amazing because it can be tough for a lot of kids on the other side of those doors. But when they come to us, that does not have to be their priority. That's important."

While coding in the computer lab, playing three on three basketball, swimming, painting, or preparing for their first job search is the priority for the teens in the Level Up program, staff says safety is their number one concern.  "Our goal is to have something every day of the week, which is why we are happy we've expanded into weekday Level Up," Orr said.  "Even if it's just to hang out and play some video games, they're here, and they're not out doing something that may get them in trouble."

Staff says the program has already helped to reduce ongoing and potential crime in communities throughout the city.

"We had some conversations with CMPD, looking at data around the city where teens were committing the highest number of crimes, and we noticed there were YMCAs in those exact areas where the percentages were the highest," Keith Executive Director Joyce Tompkins said. "[Now] they have a safe opportunity to hang out with their friends where we can control the environment, and it's been working and going strong ever since." 

When asked about the program, like many teens, Monique had one focus when thinking about the program: "I just like to go because I play basketball, go swimming, and hang out with my friends."

A solid win for guardian Ms. Wright and the vote of confidence for YMCA staff. 

"We don't determine what programs are successful – the community does," Orr said, "and when we have community and city buy-in, that's when we can see differences made and lives changed." 

The free Level Up Program is offered at six locations for teens between 13 and 18 years of age. Visit the Corridors of Opportunity website for more information.