Listed below are just a few of the opportunities that Friends of the Children provides to our youth. Please click on the corresponding link to learn more: One-on-One Relationship | Study Dog | Camp Friends | Teen Space and Friday at Friends CHOICE | Junior Advisory Board | Summer Internship

The activities that Friends and children do together are unique to the child’s individual needs,abilities, interests and talents. Friends engage in activities with our children that foster social and emotional development, making positive choices and school success, as well as nurture each child’s passions and talents. These activities take place in the child’s school, home and community, and may include working on homework, cooking healthy foods, practicing an instrument, playing sports, performing community service, visiting the library, museum, OMSI or attending a concert. We introduce our children to positive options for their life and extend their community of support. Back to Top To ensure that each child develops essential reading skills, all kindergartners entering the program enroll in StudyDog, an innovative, online, phonics-based literacy program available at our Friends’ Center. Youth participate in the program until they complete the 3rd grade level of StudyDog. The percentage of our 3rd grade youth meeting or exceeding reading standards has increased 75% since the addition of StudyDog to our program. Back to Top Camp Friends, made possible through partnerships with Portland State University, George Fox University, and Oregon Children’s Theatre, prepares our youth for the upcoming school year. Camp Friends consists of the following three components which address the academic needs of our program youth: • Elementary Camp Friends is an education-enriched, themed, fun two-week camp held at the Friends Center in Northeast Portland. Graduate students from George Fox University create and teach the curriculum in coordination with our program staff. During camp, the first half of the day is classroom-learning based, while the second half of the day focuses on hands-on learning activities. • Middle School Camp Friends is comprised of two independent weeks of hands-on learning. One week is science based and one week is performing arts based. Both weeks of camp are experiential in nature with students visiting sites in the Portland and Oregon area for their learning activities. • Intensive Tutoring, held in winter, is a two-week program for youth in grades 6 to 12 who need additional reading skills. The selected students receive intensive tutoring from students in the Graduate Teacher Eduaction program at Portland State University on the Portland State University campus. Back to Top Teen Space provides adolescents in our program and their friends with a positive, safe space to relax, access resources, and connect with peers and mentors. Teen Space includes: • A computer lab for learning basic computer skills, completing homework and accessing information related to college, career, housing and social services. • A resource library with reference materials, college and career information, and ACT/SAT preparation materials for youth to use at their convenience. • A Study Club offering reading, math and science resources, tutoring and a book club. Friday at Friends provides positive and fun weekly group activities for our youth and their peers. Activities have included talent shows, sports nights (playing and attending), game nights, movie nights, laser tag, bowling and dances. Back to Top CHOICE stands for "Creating Higher Options in Careers and Education". CHOICE consists of a series of workshops and experiential learning opportunities in conjunction with community partners to assist our 9th through 12th grade youth in developing life skills, job skills, and college preparation. Back to Top The Junior Advisory Board provides leadership development opportunities for our 11th and 12th graders.  The Junior Advisory Board allows opportunties for our youth to provide feedback to Friends of the Children leadership to improve our program.  In order to qualify for the Junior Advisory Board, applicants must have completed the CHOICE program.   Back to Top Our Summer Internship Program provides program adolescents with career related skill-building workshops and internship placements at local non-profits and businesses. The program has grown from providing 11 internships in 2004 to 26 internships in 2007 at local businesses such as BodyVox Dance Company, Blue Hour Restaurant, eROI, The Lippman Company, Tonkon Torp Law Firm, and Windermere Realty. Back to Top