Programs

Southside Community Center Block Party

Community Needs - United Way

The Southside Community Center will shift programs for 2021, with a focus on Community Needs, serving youth ages 9-18. This shift will align with the needs of these youths participating in extended opportun ities with positive outcomes and increased attendance at the center. The goal is to serve 75% of the youth in the food program and direct services in the new program.

Structured Recreation

The Southside Community Center has a gymnasium on the first floor of the building, as well as the ability to use the Parley Coburn playground and fields. We also have a Computer Lab where kids can spend a half hour a day doing educational and recreational activities, a Maker Space full of materials for all kinds of arts and crafts activities, and we also use our main room for table games, as well as construction and creative toys and games. We always have at least one staff member with the kids in each category throughout our program time.

Cooking with Brandy

Our cook and nutritionist Brandy leads weekly classes to teach kids nutrition and cooking skills. We've made pizza muffins, zucchini chips & fries, smoothies, banana bread, and so much more! Not only does this teach them the valuable skill of cooking, but it also teaches them to know what they're eating and the basics of nutrition.

Tanglewood Nature Center

The Tanglewood Nature Center visits the Southside Community Center regularly, bringing along cool and interesting animals, including snakes, iguanas, porcupines, and many many, more. Kids can handle the animals while learning about them from the Tanglewood educator.

STEAM Ahead Chemung

STEAM Ahead Chemung is a collaboration between the Southside Community Center and the Tanglewood Nature Center, Arnot Art Museum, Chemung County Historical Society, Community Arts of Elmira, Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, Corning Museum of Glass, the Science and Discovery Center, and several Elmira youth centers. This program includes visits to the Center as well as field trips to the participating organizations centered around a yearly theme.

Corning Museum of Glass Challenge

The Corning Museum of Glass hosts a group of children for a ten week science process program. The participating children explore and use the scientific method to meet an engineering challenge. They also have the opportunity to explore and use the resources of the museum. In 2018, they created scribble-bots, which are robots which independently create art!

Cornell Cooperative Extension

Cornell Cooperative Extension educators visit the center to teach nutrition through cooking. They also have a gardening program, which children can participate in and plant, grow, harvest, and cook their own vegetables from the Center garden.

Kids' Farmers Market

The Food Bank of the Southern Tier every month hosts a Kids Farmers' Market in the gymnasium of the Southside Community Center. Children are able to collect a selection of fruits and vegetables, learn about nutrition and bring home ingredients for cooking at home, all for free!

Bookmobile - Chemung Library District

The Chemung Library District's brings around the ever-popular Bookmobile biweekly, bringing the joy of reading to the children of the Southside Community Center. Kids can check out books to read while at the Center, however if they have their own library card, they can check out books to take home!

Field Trips - Chemung Youth Bureau

The Chemung Youth Bureau provides tickets and transportation to local cultural events, such as Clemens Center shows, First Arena events, as well as the Harris Hill swimming pool.

Girl Scouts of NYPENN

Girl Scouts of NYPENN (Raising Awesome Girls) will present program for youth ages 10-18, focusing on self-esteem, sensitive issues, and problem solving. Through these activities, girls will develop leadership skills and enhance their confidence when making decisions.