Career Development Field Trips:
KYDS sponsors career development fieldtrips to the NASCAR Career Fair, Edward Davis Police Academy, Elysian Park Police Academy, Canoga Park Fire Department, and West Valley Occupational Center. These field trips promote and emphasize higher education and career development.

Family Fun Nights:
Children and families, school administrators and faculty, and KYDS’ Staff come together to raise funds for the after school program at local restaurants. These events takes place quarterly or as needed by the school. The funds go directly to the school program that sponsored the event. The enrolled children and thier families decide how the funds are to be used, i.e., parties, fieldtrips, movie tickets, etc. In addition to raising funds, Family Fun Nights are a great place to meet the KYDS’ Staff and for the families to get to know whom their children are involved with after school.

Red Ribbon Week:
Red Ribbon Week is an annual event that occurs that last week of October. It is designed to encourage healthy, drug-free and violence-free lifestyles among youth. The KYDS’ Program participates by wearing red ribbons throughout the week. Guest speakers visit the schools to promote drug awareness.

Make a Difference Day:
KYDS is involved in the annual “Make a Difference Day”, where students and adults get together and clean up a specific area of the community by picking up trash, pulling weeds, painting, removing graffiti, etc. The event is geared to bringing the community, businesses and organizations together to work towards a common goal.

Beach Party:
The beach party is an annual event where over 500 KYDS’ Program participants spend the day at the beach. It gives inner city youth the opportunity to get away and visit a new place and meet new people. Local congress people, school board members and local businesses provide transportation, food and other generous donations.

Seasonal Festivities:
The KYDS’ after school and parks programs participate in seasonal events throughout the year. The events are planned by the students and include: carnivals, Easter egg hunts, Thanksgiving and holiday potlucks, Halloween festivities, etc.

Lights On Afterschool Celebration:
The Lights On Afterschool Celebration is a yearly event hosted by the Los Angeles Unified School District, Beyond the Bell Branch, which recognizes and celebrates after school program providers and participants. It aims to bring attention to the need for after school programs that keep kids safe, help working families, and improve academic achievement. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the National Chairman of the event and is the keynote speaker. KYDS is one of the many after school programs invited to participate in the event. We bring a part of our program to the celebration to showcase our activities. This year we displayed our martial arts component of the program. Over 500 students visited our booth to experience what it is to be part of the KYDS’ Program.

Reading is Fundamental (RIF):
KYDS participates in the Reading is Fundamental program which promotes community, parent and child involvement in reading. The program is made up by five components, training, books, book event and reading motivation activities, workshops and reading Challenges. The program helps parents develop their skills and self-assurance in supporting their children’s reading and learning; and educates them about the importance of literacy in their homes. The program helps children learn to love books. RIF’s events and contests are designed to motivate children and parents to make reading a central part of their lives, and to help whole communities celebrate the joy of reading. Every child involved with RIF gets to choose and keep new books, at no cost.