Nonprofit hosts ‘reflection day’ showcasing youth participants

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — One Columbus nonprofit was on a mission this summer to keep kids learning and have an impact on their future.

Thursday, the Family Adolescent and Child Community Engagement Services, or FACCES, summer program gathered youth participants’ families to reflect on their growth.

“The reflection is just to invite the community in and the people who supported the program to reflect on this great work that the children did through the summer is all about the children,” FACCES founder Melissa Johnson said.

Serving around 50 youths this summer, Johnson said FACCES was one of the recipients awarded funding by the city of Columbus’ investments in summer youth programming. The “reflection day” included an original play performance by the kindergarten through fifth grade group, while the high school students were hard at work cooking their ceremonial meal from scratch.

Johnson said she hopes the kids leave the program feeling motivated and knowing this is a safe space to express their feelings.

“We’re reflecting here at FACCES (on) what they want, what we want them to be, who they want to be, to help their community, their friends, that they’re loved,” Johnson said. “And we want them to be happy about life and things that are to come for them during the school year and even after they leave school.”

Johnson said some of the high school participants worked in the summer program making money to support themselves and their families. She said a few were even given offer letters to keep up their jobs during the school year.

Johnson said FACCES continues to support the kids throughout the school year with after school programming where kids will be provided with dinner and tutoring services.

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