Today’s youth are facing a number of challenges that can become barriers to their success. At Merrick House, we strive to provide not only safe, engaging after-school care but opportunities for kids to become productive young people. We are proud to be a MyCom partner, a network of people in Greater Cleveland who believe youth development is a direct path to healthy, safe communities for everyone. Students who participate in our Youth Program go on to become adult leaders in our communities, strengthening our city and providing hope to kids who are working toward their own personal goals. Many of these adult leaders have remained in touch with us over the years and now help us support our youth initiatives.

SUMMER CAMP SIGN UPS ARE NOW OPEN!

Camp is for youth ages 6-13 and the total cost is $100. Youth will participate in a wide range of activities and field trips over the course of the four week camp. Students will gain valuable leadership skills, have the opportunity to make friends, and explore new extracurriculars as a part of the Merrick House Summer Camp Experience. The last day to register for camp is June 6th, 2025. Call today for more information!

Merrick House offers quality after-school care for students between the ages of 6 and 17. Kids enrolled in the program benefit from activities that help them build character, strengthen their social and emotional skills, become leaders, be creative, and have fun! Our structured curriculum focuses on three core areas: Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Post-Secondary Readiness.

Monday Through Friday
3:30 p.m. –6:00 p.m.

Location
Merrick House
1050 Starkweather Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Phone: 216.771.5077

What We Provide

• Homework assistance
• Snacks
• Arts and crafts
• Field trips
• Fitness activities
• Service projects

Unique Opportunities for Growth

Youth Leadership Council – Promotes leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

Junior Achievement Curriculum – Develops workforce readiness and financial literacy.

Ambassador of Compassion Curriculum – Helps build resiliency and leadership skills.

A Chance to Participate in Group Discussions

Our older students (ages 13 through 17) are encouraged to participate in discussions on issues affecting them today such as sexuality, teen pregnancy, and drug and alcohol abuse. Sessions emphasize building self-esteem, improving communication skills, learning to cope, making responsible decisions, and learning to develop and maintain positive relationships with family and peers.

To qualify, you must:

• Be enrolled in school
• Be at least 6 years of age but no older than 17 years of age
• Complete a registration packet for all children enrolled in our After School youth program.
• Be a resident of Cleveland

To get more information or to sign up for the Youth Program at Merrick House, call 216.771.5077 or reach out to lozells@merrickhouse.org.

Merrick House is committed to partnering with other community organizations in order to maximize available resources to community members. Below are programs made possible through various partnerships that enable kids to participate at no cost to them or their families.

Epic Promise Ski Club – In Partnership with the Katz Foundation

Every winter, Merrick House partners with the Katz Foundation and the team at Alpine Valley to host Merrick House youth members for ski lessons at the local ski resort. Alpine Valley provides education and instruction to students who have never had the experience of skiing. Once a week, students take a bus out to the resort to spend time with friends, learn something new, and make lifelong memories. It’s incredible to see the progress the students make, week after week, with the help of the instructors at Alpine Valley.

Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.)
Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) is a nonprofit workforce development organization based in Cleveland that serves teens and young adults ages 14 through 24 living in economically distressed areas in Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Lake counties. The organization’s goal is to ensure that teens and young adults in Northeast Ohio are well prepared to enter the workforce.

International Youth Leadership Foundation
The mission of the International Youth Leadership Foundation is to posture highly motivated students from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds to be thought leaders and innovators in their future careers of choice.

After School is in Session!
The afterschool program is now running from 3:30pm-6pm, Monday through Friday. Anyone ages 6-17 can participate in after school programming.

Whether you are a parent, student, or volunteer, you can find out more about our youth programs by contacting us at 216.771.5077.

Merrick House received the MyCom Out-of-School Time grant from Starting Point, along with community partners Tremont West Development Corporation, Tremont Montessori School, and the Cleveland Music School Settlement. This grant had three goals: (1) to more fully engage Tremont youth in decision-making and neighborhood planning; (2) to increase the variety of out-of-school time programming offered to the youth in the Tremont community; and (3) to increase available structured summer out-of-school time opportunities for youth in Tremont. As part of this grant, Merrick House has established a Youth Leadership Council and expanded programming to include music therapy classes for youth and a summer basketball league.