The Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center prepares kids for life’s adventures by supporting their writing and amplifying their voices.
We believe that while nurturing kids’ writing can give them access to the world, fostering their creativity may allow them to change the world.
Recent Projects
The Book of Explosions 9!
WOW, KOWABUNGA, hi-YA and CONGRATULATIONS to all CYC students who became published authors this year. We are so proud of our young authors!
On June 26 we celebrated the release of the Book of Explosions 9: Let My Voice Be Loud Like Lions with a virtual book launch event. You can watch the full event here.
Buy the latest Book of Explosions through Amazon by clicking this link or by searching the title: Let My Voice Be Loud Like Lions
News from the CYC
As the CYC enters in to its 10th year we have made the difficult decision to discontinue classroom style programming for the foreseeable future. COVID-19 has increased the fiscal challenges that we’ve been facing and we have found that we do not have the capacity to carry on as our students need at this time. We are thus taking this pause in instructional programming until a potential restructure and alternate funding sources are determined.
We do not make this decision lightly. It is truly a time of change for our world, and we believe that the CYC has a place in our community’s future, but for right now, we’re going to take a little break until we know more about how we can BEST support our community’s young authors in their creative pursuits.
We look forward to the next time we can tell stories together and encourage you to keep practicing your storytelling skills until then.
If you have more questions or are interested in learning more about how you can offer service to the organization during this time of re-imagining, we hope you will keep in touch. You can reach out to Program Manager Kait via email at kait@creativeyouthcenter.org for more information or consider staying tuned for news about upcoming in-person and virtual events by subscribing to our newsletter in the link below.
Stay in Touch with the CYC!
Need a pen pal? You can send us SNAIL MAIL at the following address:
Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center
PO BOX 6207
Grand Rapids, MI 49516
Or subscribe to our newsletter for monthly tidings from the CYC!
Follow us on social media:
www.facebook.com/grcyc
Instagram: @gr_cyc
Our Programs
At this time, the CYC is not offering any programming opportunities. Stay tuned to this page and our social media accounts for upcoming virtual and in-person events in 2020!
Ways to Support the CYC
On our website: Click the red “Donate” flag at creativeyouthcenter.org to make a one-time or monthly donation (redirects through PayPal)
Via the Cash app: $CreativeYouthCenter
When you make purchases on Amazon: Start shopping via smile.amazon.com and select Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center as your nonprofit organization of choice
Through your United Way donation: Designate the Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center as your gift’s recipient
We’re Grateful to Past & Current Funders & Sponsors!
Thank you to all those who ensured the success of our young authors in the 2019-2020 program year. In particular, we’d like to thank the Wege Foundation, The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, The Grand Rapids Community Foundation Youth Grant Committee, and the many individual donors and volunteers for supporting CYC student writers.