A Season of Connection: December 2025 at Kids Club Surprise

December at the Kids Club Surprise, provided by funding from SYF in partnership with the Dysart Community Center, was defined by a spirit of generosity and growth. From academic support in our after-school programs to the joy of our annual holiday celebrations, our community came together to ensure every child and teen felt supported.

Below are the highlights from our December 2025 report.

The After-School Program: Growing Together

Our Surprise aftercare site continues to be a hub of activity and peer-to-peer support. In December, we saw 44 youth registered with a steady daily attendance. A key highlight of the month has been watching our students take initiative by helping one another with homework, creating a truly supportive learning environment.

By the Numbers:

* 44 Youth registered for the Surprise site.

* 24 Students registered for aftercare transportation.

* 28 Volunteer hours dedicated to the program this month.

Every Monday, our youth enjoy structured gym time before heading to the Senior Center, where they participate in daily activities that bridge the generations in our community.

The Annual Christmas Celebration: A Meaningful Impact

On December 19, the DCC hosted its Annual Christmas Celebration, and the children from KCS were in attendance. Thanks to two successful wrapping parties and the incredible generosity of individual donors and community organizations, every child and family in attendance received the support they needed.

Picture of Kids with Santa

The event featured a variety of festive activities, including:

* A hot cocoa station staffed by dedicated volunteers.

* Face painting and a dedicated arts and crafts room.

* Special appearances and photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

* A community meal with hotdogs, chips, and volunteer-donated baked goods.

The true impact of this event was felt in the stories shared by our families. One mother expressed her deep gratitude, sharing that she felt moved to tears because the food boxes arrived just as her family was struggling to make ends meet.

Empowering Teens: The Love Notes Cohort

Our Teen Program achieved a major milestone this month with the completion of the Love Notes cohort at both the Surprise and El Mirage sites. This 14-hour curriculum, delivered by the Empowering Youth Prevention Program, focuses on essential life skills for youth ages 12 through 19.

Participants explored critical topics such as:

* Effective communication.

* Healthy decision-making.

* Relationship-building skills.

Instructors noted that the teens were exceptionally respectful, attentive, and actively involved throughout the workshop. Feedback from both parents and teens indicated that the program was highly engaging and well-organized. At the Surprise site specifically, 9 teens registered for the program with 5 successfully completing the full cohort.

Looking Ahead

We are incredibly proud of our youth and grateful for the volunteers and donors who make this work possible. Your time and contributions are what allow SYF and DCC to remain a cornerstone of support for families in the Surprise OTS and the region.

View the Christmas gallery over at the DCC facebook page

SYF Receives major support!

We would like to thank the MR Tanner Construction for their support in the amount of $10,000! We are also happy to report the Catholic Daughters of the Americas generous donation of $400.

Both of these donations will go to support all of our programs as well as our flagship - the Kids Club Surprise. KCS established and funds the Surprise branch of the Dysart Community Center’s youth programming for before and after school care. Funds are spent on the portion of the program hosted within the city of Surprise. Hosted in the Original Town Site, it currently serves 27 Surprise children - allowing their families the breathing room to work without worrying about childcare.

We appreciate the support of all of our donors and are happy to share this update about the program.

SYF Seeks Board Members!

We are looking for new Board Members to help shape the future of our support for the Youth of Surprise. Please use the contact form on the front page to enquire, and hopefully we can work together to serve better!

Information:

• All-volunteer board receives no compensation

• 1 meeting/month on the third Thursday at 9:00am, Surprise City Hall, Council Overflow room. (Subject to change, contact us to confirm.)

• We are especially looking for new members with children in the community, to better represent and understand the needs of those we serve.

Children from the Kids Club Surprise walk in the Veteran’s Day Parade

2023 Gala

SYF celebrated on November 4th with a charity Gala, organized in large part by our President Jim Connor, Esteemed Board Member Ken Johanson, and with the help of gracious auxiliaries from Sun Village. A huge thank you goes out to our patrons and supporters, and our corporate sponsors Echo Real Estate Capital, Inc and PREMIER Design + Build Group!

Another huge thank you goes to Ms. Seija Farber, who generously matched the corporate sponsorship!

The funds from this Gala have been invested in our flagship program, Kids Count Surprise, which provides ongoing after-school and supplementary supervision and programming in Surprise’s Original Town Site for over 40 children as of March 2024.

We are looking forward to the April 2025 Gala, and to honor the memories of Jim and Ken who were such foundational forces for us.

Mayor Skip Hall with board members Gregory Garcia, Lisa Gill, Jim Connor, Annie Ansell, Ken Johanson, and Mark Harpur. City Manager Bob Wingenroth far right.

‘22 Fiesta Grande

SYF at Fiesta Grande

We had a blast with the rest of the city at the Original Town Site's Fiesta Grande celebration, October 8th 2022!

Everyone enjoyed live music, great food and all sorts of entertainments for the whole family. SYF handed out some Arizona-themed kids' books to lucky visitors and got to know several of our neighbors. Thanks to all who make this party so much fun every year!