Holden Heights Kidz Zone

PKZ Baby Institute, modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone Baby College, is a nine week program for parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers.  Offered by the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, Baby Institute classes focus on brain development, positive discipline and community pride, with the goal of helping parents be their child’s first teacher.

Community Coordinated Care for Children offers child care subsidies to Holden Heights families raising infants, toddlers and preschoolers, so they’re able to attend pre-kindergarten programs free of charge at high quality early learning sites in and around the neighborhood.

The Rosen Preschool offers a year round, full day, high-quality preschool program with capacity for 288 children ages two to four, free of charge for all children residing in the attendance zone of the OCPS ACE School in Holden Heights.

City of Orlando Student Advocates, based at elementary, middle and high schools attended by Holden Heights students, offer mentorship, academic support (test prep, advisement, etc.), advocacy, regular meetings, monitoring of attendance and grades, and support to ensure students stay on track for graduation, scholarships, college tours, educational, cultural and regional field trips.

Post-Secondary Advocates offer assistance with college applications and essays, assistance with scholarship applications and essays, FAFSA assistance, financial literacy training and support, academic advisement, dorm set-up, help for families of first-generation college students in understanding how things work, and all the support Holden Heights youth need to enroll in college and persist through graduation. 

•   The City of Orlando’s Recreation Division offers competitive sports programs for elementary and middle school-aged children in Holden Heights.

• Orange Blossom Family Health offers primary medical care, oral health services, behavioral health and substance use services at via a pediatric health center, Orange Blossom Pediatrics, at the OCPS ACE School, attended by Holden Heights elementary and middle school-aged children.

• Champions Lab Training is aimed to engage Parramore children and youth in weekly fitness activities. The program features a range of sports and fitness activities, promoting overall health and well-being. 

   

Two City of Orlando neighborhood centers – the John H. Jackson Neighborhood Center and the Dr. J. B. Callahan Neighborhood Center - offer high-quality after-school programs for elementary and middle schools students that combine fun and learning. Students can participate in supervised recreational activities, homework assistance, and enrichment activities like garden club, Mayor Buddy’s Book Club, and performing arts programs.  A third site will open in Holden Heights – the Grand Avenue Neighborhood Center – in 2022.

The Orlando Community & Youth Trust offers a Youth Employment program, include job training, soft skills training, job placement and monitoring, internships, apprenticeships, help with resumes, and interview skills training.

Youth Entrepreneurship skills are offered through the Orlando Community & Youth Trust’s Black Bee Honey program, wherein students learn business skills including sales, marketing, accounting, government interaction, permitting, inspections, food handling certification, networking, time-management, problem solving, leadership and partnership with local organizations. Students also learn the skill of Beekeeping and the manufacturing of honey.

The Nature and Environmental Sustainability Program is a comprehensive initiative that aims to educate and engage youth in environmental awareness and sustainability practices. The program included a variety of activities such as field trips to solar farms, wind farms, recycling facilities, costal beaches, camping in the woods, wildlife tours, and fishing trips. It also incorporated interactive sessions to teach about global warming, its causes, impacts, and strategies to mitigate it. 

The Orlando Science Center (OSC) provides "Neighborhood Science"- an educational curriculum of STEM activities for elementary youth in 4th and 5th grade. It includes classroom instruction, family science nights, and engineering design challenges. 

• Social-Emotional support for students and families 

• Community support including access to food banks, shelters, referrals to community programs and emergency financial resources to prevent evictions and utility shut-offs.