During the final week of January, the Greenpoint YMCA held its Youth & Family Program Spotlight Expo, inviting parents and supporters of the Greenpoint YMCA's Youth & Family Programs to see program participants in action, giving performances and presentations demonstrating what they have been learning since the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year.

The Greenpoint YMCA's Early Childhood Center, Kids In Control Center, and After-school Programs were all featured at the expo, which took place at the Greenpoint YMCA's facility at 99 Meserole, at P.S. 16, and at P.S. 84 in Williamsburg.

The Early Childhood Center at the Greenpoint YMCA held open house hours during the showcase week. The classrooms were festively decorated, reflecting what the children have been learning, including Global Shoes - a look at the history of shoes from other culture's points of view. With a global shoe suitcase from the Brooklyn Children's Museum, children were able to explore how shoes are clues to where we live and how we work play, and celebrate special events in our lives.

The participants at the Greenpoint YMCA's After-school Program at P.S. 16 shared many colorful displays illustrating their ten-week journey exploring different themes developed by program staff. The children in the kindergarten classroom had explored their five senses. Children in first grade went green with a focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling. Children in second grade explored the world of art, creating charcoal drawings and abstract art.

The third grade group traveled to outer space, recreating the solar system by making planets out of paper mache and modeling clay. Grades 4 and 5 studied their neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (An interesting note to this particular lesson is that moving into spring, the children in this group will tackle the ideas of gentrification and displacement in the Williamsburg community and develop their own blog about it on the Internet.)

The participants of the Kids in Control and Y After-school programs of the Greenpoint YMCA held their first Showcase Exposition at P.S. 84 in Williamsburg. Over the previous three months, the children collaborated with staff in small clubs each Friday to complete projects in doll-making, drama, hip hop, and business that were then presented to an audience of their family and friends.

The children created handmade dolls representing a variety of cultures and nationalities, and developed plans for their own business ideas before building models of the stores themselves. Two groups wrote and performed original pieces. The drama club's play, "The Powerpuff Girls Save the Night," and the hip hop club's anti-drug raps and dance entertained the audience.

Kids in Control and the Y After-school will continue their clubs for the next three months with new projects, including cooking, photography, dance/singing, and mask making, and they will present their next showcase in April.

The Greenpoint YMCA serves over 4,000 young people each year. Approximately 80 percent participate for free or with financial assistance made possible through funds raised during the Greenpoint YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign.