In 2023 the Y has continued to grow and adapt to the needs of our Island Community, increasing our youth program capacities and collaborating with an expanding number of organizations. This summer in our MVYouth classroom we started a new kindergarten preparedness initiative. With this designated classroom for our youngest campers, 20 campers each week, for 8 weeks, focused on skills that would help them as they enter school. The curriculum was created with recommendations from teachers that were noticing a gap in skills, especially for incoming students. Campers participated in activities to strengthen fine motor skills, increase letter recognition, and sound knowledge, and grow overall classroom readiness. With the addition of a mini library in the MVYouth classroom this summer, we implemented a “Buddy Read” program where older campers read to younger campers. In this classroom we also ran our Curiosity Science program, where every camper participated weekly in a fun science experiment honing hypothesizing, observation, and reporting skills. For the school year, we continued our mini-library in the classroom for daily reading circle and “Buddy Read” and exchange books monthly in collaboration with the Oak Bluffs Library. This classroom is designated for Kindergarteners to help them acclimatize to the Y After School Program. It also serves as our location for our collaboration with Island Grown Initiative, where they provide Y families with healthy premade meals. We are grateful for the support from MVYouth and our Island Community!