Children & Teens

Orange County funds and offers the After School Zone program is at 26 County middle schools, Monday - Friday until 6:00 pm. Your child can participate in a variety of fun and educational activities that focus on skills such as: Character & Leadership Development; Fitness & Recreation; Education & Career Development; Health & Life Skills; & the Arts. For more information, contact a site coordinator at a participating middle school.

From school field trips, summer and spring break camps, character cameos and birthday parties to group tour opportunities, The History Center makes learning fun for all ages. Visit our website for more information.

Camp Scooter is Orange County Parks and Recreation's youth camp program. Camps are offered during most school breaks -Spring Break, Summer Break, Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break. Our camps take place Monday-Friday during the break except for county holidays; other camp dates are determined by the actual school-break calendar.

Orange County Head Start is a nationally recognized leader in Early Childhood Education (ECE), providing early childhood pre-school to children from low-income families. Head Start offers comprehensive services that benefit the whole family, so children leave Head Start "ready-to-learn" and families become more self-sufficient.

Cooperative Extension develops community, school and 4-H volunteer youth programs that promote education about leadership, citizenship, and life skills. Making friends through 4-H helps young people understand and respect others and have a good time with more than 50 project areas from which to choose.

The Kids Cafe program provides nutritious meals and snacks to low-income children in an environment that is safe, accessible, and convenient. During the summer months, the Summer Feeding program, an extension of the National School Lunch program, serves nutritious meals to children and youth at playgrounds, parks, houses of worship, schools and community centers. For more information, contact an Orange County Community Center near you.

Great Oaks Village is an Orange County owned and operated foster care group home for 84 children ages 6 - 18 who have been removed from their homes by the State of Florida due allegations of abuse, neglect or abandonment. The children are placed according to their age in one of seven "cottage" style homes. They attend local public schools and receive educational, recreational, medical and counseling services through the program.

Community Action offers mentoring and youth development opportunities to minority youth through the Achievers Program. Students can participate in workshops, seminars, college and workplace tours, development sessions, cultural and recreational activities to motivate success and expose them to positive life choices.

This sports program uses basketball to engage teens in a character development curriculum during a time when many youth may be unsupervised. A tournament-style basketball league is utilized where youth play rounds of team basketball and they are offered nightly presentations on a variety of topics from job skills to cultural diversity. To find out more about this exciting Community Action program, contact an Orange County Community Center near you.

The REC Squad is a paid afterschool recreation program for elementary and middle school age students ((FREE program only at Freedom, Willow Street and Grace Street locations), held Monday-Friday after school until 6pm. A full day program is offered on student holidays. The weekly cost per child is $30 (regular fee), $20 (reduced lunch fee), $15 (free lunch fee) and $7.50 (food stamps); a letter showing which program the child is in is required in order to qualify for the lower fees. Please visit the Afterschool Programs page for more information.

The REC Zone is a FREE afterschool recreation program for elementary and middle school age students. This program is conducted only at Dr. Phillips Park and Tildenville Park, which have pavilions; please note there are no indoor facilities at these parks. The program is Monday-Friday afterschool until 5:30pm. This program is not offered on student holidays. Please visit the Afterschool Programs page for more information.

During the months of June and July, Orange County funds and offers the Summer Zone program in 21 County middle schools. For a nominal fee covering registration and field trips, your child can participate in a variety of recreational activities including: arts & crafts, dance, drama, sports, swimming, and much more. Operating hours for the Summer Zone are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday, with some programs offering extended hours. For more information, contact a participating middle school.

The Orange County Parks and Recreation Division provides a wide variety of youth athletic programs. Visit our website for more information.

The Family Counseling Program provides counseling for families with adolescent children and teenagers, especially those who are truant, runaway or troubled.

The Youth Shelter is temporary housing facility, open 24 hours/7 days per week, for youth experiencing a variety of problems. Youth at the shelter may be homeless, runaways, or lockouts or may be seeking a cooling off period during a family crisis. Counseling services are provided, as well as referrals to other services needed by the family. (407-836-7626)