Student Union

The CROYA student union is open every day after school from 3:30 – 5:30 pm and is the perfect hangout for teenagers: food, ping pong tables, pool table, game room, music studio, dance studio, and a stage for bands and movies. What’s not to love about that?

Weekly Youth Meetings for middle school and high school students attract large numbers of kids, and are run by youth executive committees. Each meeting includes plenty of time for socializing, planning activities and service projects, and then includes a fun, interactive activity that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to do anywhere else, like play Bubble Ball, Flour Tag, or have a Photo Scavenger Hunt.

Peer Training is offered to high school students through an 11-week program. When young adults have problems, they typically turn to their friends for help first. The CROYA Peer Training program teaches young adults how to be active listeners and problem solvers when their friends need help with typical teenage struggles. Students become more skilled in their ability to understand themselves and others, and learn to listen to and respond to themselves and others in healthy ways. This very successful program teaches more than 160 kids per year.

Serving on CROYA youth boards and subcommittees provides valuable life skills training and the opportunity to practice leadership and project management skills.

Community Service Projects help young adults grow by giving back to others. Current projects include visiting and volunteering at Westmoreland, Friends of the Lake Forest Library, Ronald McDonald House, Feed My Starving Children, House of Peace, Kiwanis, and many others.

Fall and Spring Weekend Retreats for high school students are life-changing events at which students break down stereotypes, build positive self-esteem, make new friends, and pause for self-reflection.

Support Programs are offered for young adults facing specific issues, and include programs such as STEPS Grief and Remembrance Support Group, academic and social support, peer mentoring by high school students for middle school students, and referral resources for youth and families with needs that exceed the scope of CROYA staff expertise.

Social Programs bring kids together for fun events, and include field trips to local sports events and entertainment, band jams like Battle of the Bands, weekly open mic nights, and middle school dances.