Summer at CYC: Full circle
Every summer, some of the young people who once called CYC their summer home come back through its doors.
Some return as volunteers. Others as interns or staff members, stepping into classrooms where they once played games, built friendships, and looked up to the older students around them.
This summer, many of them found themselves welcoming a new generation of young people into the community they once called their own.
For Riley, that journey began at CYC Sunset Summer Program, where he spent his elementary school summers. Today, he has returned as Assistant Site Coordinator, helping lead the very program where so many of his own summer memories were made.
“I remember looking forward to all of the activities when I was younger,” Riley said. “Now I get to create those experiences for the kids who are here now.”
Returning has also changed the way he sees himself.
“There was a moment where I realized I was teaching newer staff members things that someone once taught me,” he reflected. “That made me stop and think about how much I’ve grown since I was a kid here.”
Those experiences continue to shape how Riley approaches his work today, creating the kind of environment he once looked forward to as a participant.
Across CYC, Riley is one of many young people whose summer story has come full circle.
Former participants returned this summer as interns, supporting staff, leading activities, and spending their days alongside younger students. For many, it was their first time experiencing CYC from the other side of the classroom.
Lily first attended CYC as an elementary school student. This summer, she returned as an intern because she wanted younger children to experience the same welcoming environment she remembered.
“It’s been amazing to come back,” she shared. “Now I get to be here for the younger students the way people were there for me.”
On just the second day of the program, one of the elementary students looked up and called her “Ms. Lily.”
It was a small moment, but one she still talks about because it reminded her that she had become someone younger students looked up to.
Today, she leads arts and crafts activities that encourage children to express themselves through creativity.
“I hope they remember the memories they made this summer,” she said. “I want them to remember to always be themselves.”
Maya followed a similar path. After attending CYC throughout elementary school, she returned this summer to support kindergarten classrooms, where her patience and encouragement quickly stood out to staff.
“Maya is so patient with the kids,” one Program Leader shared. “They love her. I’m so happy she came back to work with the younger students this summer.”
For Jarvis, returning offered a different perspective.
“I like seeing the younger kids grow over the summer,” he said. “It feels different being back to help instead of being in the program myself, but it feels good.”
Every year, young people come to CYC looking for a place to learn, make friends, and discover new interests. Some of them return years later, bringing new experiences while carrying with them memories of summers that helped shape who they are.
That’s part of what makes CYC special. The relationships built during one summer don’t end when the season does. They continue through the young people who choose to return, creating new memories for the next generation.
As another summer comes to a close, today’s participants are making memories they may carry with them for years to come. For some, this won’t be the end of their CYC story. It will be the beginning of a new chapter.
One day, they may find themselves back in the same classrooms, on the same playgrounds, and taking part in the same summer traditions that helped shape them—this time helping create those memories for someone else.
This is the fourth story in our Summer at CYC series, exploring the experiences that help young people learn, grow, and build lasting connections throughout the season. Subscribe to our newsletter to follow along as we continue sharing stories from CYC’s summer programs.