First Generation College Tours – Partnering with the Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, Kids’ Club sponsors weekend long college visits for 40 first generation and/or economically disadvantaged students without prior exposure to higher education to realize the possibilities and realities of college life to begin to envision themselves in that environment.
Kids’ Club Scholarships for Sleepy Hollow High School (SHHS) Graduates – To further fulfill our mission of improving the lives of under-resourced youth, in 2014 Kids’ Club set up an annual scholarship for college-bound seniors from SHHS based on merit, financial need and character. Each year students apply by submitting to the SHHS Guidance Department letters of recommendation and writing a personal essay. The final recipients are chosen by a committee of SHHS faculty members and announced in June at Academic Awards Night. In 2025, Kids’ Club added an equal scholarship for a graduating senior on a career path.
Latino U College Access’s FAFSA Program — Latino U College Access’s FAFSA First! program is designed to help first-generation Hispanic students navigate the complex process of applying for state and federal financial aid for college. Through FAFSA First!, Hispanic students and their families can overcome language and financial barriers to attending college. FAFSA First! helps Hispanic students and their families by pairing them with bilingual volunteers to help them complete financial aid applications, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program (FAFSA), as well as the New York Tuition Assistance Program (NY TAP). Kids’ Club has provided support for this program through funding for two information sessions about financial aid at SHHS, as well as a “boot camp” where volunteers help students fill out their financial aid application forms.
SHADE’s Friday Night Social – Special needs students in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow have an innovative, after school alternative: Friday Night Social. This drop-in gathering run by the Tarrytown School District’s SHADE (Sleepy Hollow Academy for Disability Education) program takes place at Neighborhood House in Tarrytown. In addition to the professional staff, students from Sleepy Hollow High School serve as mentors/interns. Kids’ Club is proud to have provided financial support to this unique program, which provides positive social interaction and life skills development for special needs students ages 13-21, as well as an enriching experience for the teen interns.
TUFSD Application Ready! College Prep Program – In 2020, Kids’ Club helped pilot a new college preparation program at Sleepy Hollow High School geared towards first generation college-bound seniors. Run by TUFSD Guidance Counselors, this program offers guidance on essay writing, résumé building, financial aid opportunities, mock interviews, touring and more.
WCC/SHHS Dual Enrollment Program – Starting in September 2023, through a grant given to the Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, Kids’ Club is now a financial supporter of Sleepy Hollow High School’s Dual Enrollment Program with Westchester Community College. The purpose of the program is to remove the financial barriers for low income students to take college level courses and receive transferable college credits during their high school careers. Students served by this program might not otherwise be able to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by earning college credit in high school, and will miss out on valuable experiences offered to their more economically advantaged peers.