Club Wilde Lake is an after-school club that offers free programs to prepare students for academic and social success.

At least one clubs meets every day at the Slayton House in the Wilde Lake village center. The YMCA program is one of the clubs and comes from the Y in Central Maryland organization.

During these meetings, students learn a variety of skills that benefit their future careers, wellbeing, and overall lifestyle.

Ms. Kendra Abel, the site director for YMCA, says the program wants to recruit “as many students as possible in order to help kids discover themselves as well as give them resources to go to college or learn more about their future career path.”

YMCA provides many different experiences for students to explore career paths. One of the participants of YMCA, Zion Oliver, says “we had a chef that came to a meeting and taught us how to cook.”

Mr. Derrek Cole, the leader of YMCA, says YMCA aims to show students that they have many options for future careers.

“It is a college program that provides students with different opportunities such as tutoring and college tours to make students more aware of their future and help them develop skills,” said Mr. Cole.

Along with academic enrichment, YMCA also centers around students’ physical activity and social development. Activities in the meetings often include homework assistance, STEM projects, arts and crafts, sports, and recreational games.

“YMCA is a fun and safe place to go after school,” Zion said. At a previous meeting, Zion and other members had a gingerbread house making competition for the holidays.

All of the programs within Club Wilde Lake aim to prepare students for success post high school while creating a welcoming and fun environment.

“Club Wilde Lake provides a safe space for students to come in and study, hang out, and learn,” said Mr. Cole.