Kid Power – Helping Youth in Underserved Communities of DC

“Kid Power helps build the foundation for confidence that will allow us to take control of our future and conquer the obstacles that come in our way. No one
can tell me that I can’t because Kid Power showed me at a young age that I can."
Jenari, Kid Power alumnus and current Marketing and Communications Fellow at Accenture Federal Services

"I learned a lot but the one thing that Kid Power expressed to every single child every summer... always give back. And I think that’s what will really stick with me for the rest of my life. No matter where life takes me I’ll always remember to give back."
Wilmon H. Lee IV

“The way I can make a difference in my community is to make the earth better by cleaning up trash and putting up "No littering" signs, like what we did with our community service project.”
Camilla, 4th grader at Barnard Elementary School

“I feel lucky to have been involved with a school that provided such a resource. This is why I volunteer today with Kid Power because I want to be able to give back to an organization that gives so much.”
Sher’Nae Kay, Kid Power Parent and Volunteer

“Volunteering with youth in our Summer Leadership Academy has taught me to slow down. Working with these kids has been so rewarding. As a young adult I have learned so much from these kids!"
Trista Cegielski, Volunteer

“I love how we can focus on the whole child by giving them the tools and resources that they can use in every aspect of their lives.”
Shana Townes, Kid Power Staff

“Serve DC’s success is reflected in Kid Power’s success. We want to make sure that everyone has a positive experience, from the young people served by Kid Power’s programs to the AmeriCorps Members that serve those young people.”
Serve DC AmeriCorps Program Director

“Kid Power helps build the foundation for confidence that will allow us to take control of our future and conquer the obstacles that come in our way. No one
can tell me that I can’t because Kid Power showed me at a young age that I can.”
Jenari, Kid Power alumnus and sophomore at Rensslear Polytechnic Institute

“I learned a lot but the one thing that Kid Power expressed to every single child every summer... always give back. And I think that’s what will really stick with me for the rest of my life. No matter where life takes me I’ll always remember to give back.”
Wilmon H. Lee IV

Who We Are

Kid Power inspires youth leadership by promoting academic advancement, physical & emotional wellness, and positive civic engagement in under-served communities throughout the District of Columbia.

Our Programs

Kid Power’s FREE programs serve more than 1,600 DC students.

After-School Program

GRADES: 2nd – 8th

Summer Leadership Program

GRADES: Rising 3rd – 8th

Mentor & Enrichment Program

GRADES: 6th – 12th

In-School Program

GRADES: Pre-K – 5th

Our Impact

The program helped 92% of students maintain or improve their ELA standardized test scores and 7% move from below proficiency to approaching, meeting, or exceeding proficiency. Furthermore, according to DCPS school-day teachers, because of Kid Power programming, 63% of Kid Power showed improvements in regular classroom attendance, 43% showed an improvement in academic performance, and 51% showed an improvement in classroom participation.

The program helped students increase their civic knowledge, ability to design a service-learning project, and their confidence with debate and public speaking skills by 21%. Further, 73% of students reported increased understanding of the importance of helping others and 95% of parents said Kid Power helped their child understand the importance of community service.

Students showed a 17% increase in their nutritional, environmental science, and gardening knowledge. Highlights included a 32% increase in students’ ability to identify different parts of a plant and a 16% increase in healthy food knowledge. 95% of parents reported that because of Kid Power programming, their students both understand the importance of making healthy food choices and able to make healthier food choices. Additionally, 91% of parents reported that their children now help cook healthy meals at home. In terms of social-emotional growth, 95% of parents said that their children have better conflict resolution skills, while 68% of surveyed students said that they have better self-confidence. Additionally, 73% of youth demonstrated increased positive social behaviors, such as assertiveness, while 67% showed increased creativity

On average, positive social-emotional scores increase 3% over the summer. Our daily Summer Leadership Academy serves 125 students and runs 7 hours/day for 5 weeks. Students participate in morning academic classes (ELA, Math, and Civics) and afternoon enrichment sessions based on the VeggieTime and Citizenship Programs. The Academy provides workforce development skills such as public speaking, marketing, financial literacy, team-building, and goal-setting. In just 5 short weeks, Kid Power saw significant growth.

Social Media

Kid Power, Inc.Follow3,2492,248

Inspiring youth leadership through academics, civic engagement, health and wellness, and mentoring. Students work every day to build a stronger, healthier DC.

Kid Power, Inc.@kidpowerdc·

1 Apr 1641957818772103168

It's springtime, and we're getting our hands dirty! Our partner schools, J.O. Wilson and Stanton Elementary, have officially started planting their gardens with bok choy, cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, kale, collards, and carrots.

Reply on Twitter 1641957818772103168 Retweet on Twitter 1641957818772103168 Like on Twitter 1641957818772103168

Kid Power, Inc.@kidpowerdc·

30 Mar 1641539993972899840

On March 2nd, we hosted our inaugural community conversation for 2023. Sara Wells, Assistant Director at the @UatShadyGrove, led a discussion on our High Impact Tutoring Program and its positive impact on closing the pandemic-induced learning gap https://bit.ly/40dnfcl.

Reply on Twitter 1641539993972899840 Retweet on Twitter 1641539993972899840 Like on Twitter 1641539993972899840

Kid Power, Inc.@kidpowerdc·

27 Mar 1640493302158962690

Only 5 days until Kid Power Scholarship applications are due!! All materials must be received by this Friday, March 31st, 2023 at 5:00 pm. Materials submitted or incomplete after Friday, March 31st will not be considered. https://sites.google.com/kidpowerdc.org/mentoringroadmap/academics/senior/scholarship-application-2022

Reply on Twitter 1640493302158962690 Retweet on Twitter 1640493302158962690 Like on Twitter 1640493302158962690

Kid Power, Inc.@kidpowerdc·

23 Mar 1639000020065177613

We want to shoutout our amazing partner @FRESHFARMDC for putting on a fun (even though it was a bit chilly!) farmer's market over the weekend. We had a blast teaming up with @DCTutorMentor to spread the word about the mentoring and tutoring opportunities available in the DMV.

Reply on Twitter 1639000020065177613 Retweet on Twitter 16390000200651776133 Like on Twitter 16390000200651776133

Kid Power, Inc.@kidpowerdc·

22 Mar 1638653675819216900

Our After-School team met with our school partners at about the needs of the student community. They expressed that there is a recurring need for school uniform support. Many of their students either do not have a complete uniform or must borrow from the schools' limited supply.