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<\/a>Dragon\u2019s Den photo by Ben Filio for Remake Learning.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Connecting young people to opportunities beyond their neighborhood<\/p>\n
Lozza Petrucci\u2019s mission is to bring learning, community and a sense of belonging to young people. She welcomes kids from age 6 to 13 into the magical space that is\u00a0Dragon\u2019s Den<\/a>, where a ropes course lets students climb to the rafters of a beautiful former church in Homestead, PA.<\/p>\n But while Lozza Petrucci and her team have made the most of the remarkable building where they host afterschool and summer programming, they don\u2019t have space to host additional programs for teens.<\/p>\n \u201cI really want to help the kids to succeed,\u201d she says. \u201cSo I started thinking, \u2018OK, how can I support kids that age out of our program?\u2019 Because when they are teens, their needs increase but the opportunities decrease.\u201d<\/p>\n More affluent teens may have transportation that helps them access to afterschool classes and experiences all around the Pittsburgh area. But many kids in Homestead don\u2019t have these opportunities.<\/p>\n Through this new Moonshot Grant-funded program, teens now arrive at Dragon\u2019s Den after school, have a meal and then board a bus to programming outside their community. Their destination might be a library, a STEM learning center like Citizens Science Lab or a creative hub like Community Forge.<\/p>\n But even before they reach that location, the ride itself has meaning: \u201cWhile they are on a bus, there is an adult that is trained in mental health and mindful choices. They talk: \u2018How is your day?\u2019,\u201d Lozza Petrucci says.<\/p>\n At the destination, they spend time creating and learning, \u201cand then driving back, we debrief. \u2018So how was it? What did you learn? What did you like and what didn\u2019t you like?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Participating teens also spend one afternoon per week at a local library researching something that interests them. Once they\u2019ve gathered information, they teach younger kids at Dragon\u2019s Den what they\u2019ve learned. \u201cSo the younger kids see somebody like them teaching, and they know that when they are older that they can be part of that program,\u201d she says. \u201cMy hope is that we can develop an interest in our Black youth to become teachers.\u201d<\/p>\n The program kicked off in late fall 2025 and the Dragon\u2019s Den team is already seeing the impact: One afternoon earlier this year, a teenager appeared in the doorway of Lozza Petrucci\u2019s office. He\u2019s a kid who has struggled connecting with others and engaging as a learner.<\/p>\n But on this day, there was joy in his voice as he described his afternoon learning about glass blowing: \u201cI didn\u2019t know that hot glass looked like honey! And they need to work very, very fast, because it becomes very, very hard,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you know the amount of work that it takes to have a sparkle in the eyes of a teenager who normally is just on a cell phone? He was looking at me,\u201d Lozza Petrucci says, \u201cand I could see the sparkle.\u201d<\/p>\n Like Dragon\u2019s Den, the team at\u00a0Brentwood Borough School District<\/a>\u00a0has been exploring ways to help kids and families surmount transportation and cost barriers. They also were eager to connect with and better support families.<\/p>\n With funding from a Moonshot Grant, they\u2019ve begun to combine inclusive activities for students, adult learning experiences for parents, and family meals to foster community connection, healthy living and holistic development for both students and parents.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted our students to be able to access things like soccer programming and dance classes, and things that you might have to go outside of the district for. And then we thought, \u2018While those kids are engaged, why not try to engage their families?,\u2019\u201d says Stephanie DeLuca, who served as Coordinator of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development at Brentwood Borough, and recently moved to North Allegheny School District.<\/p>\n Free afterschool programming from Soccer Shots began in the spring of 2025, and the full program was rolled out once the 2025-26 school year began. As students enjoyed things like free dance workshops, DeLuca says, \u201cwe offered something to share with the parents.\u201d<\/p>\n At one event, folks from the Brentwood Public Library came to talk about their community programming. At another, the school\u2019s food service director spoke about meal planning. Families, including those new to the district, were able to learn what the cafeteria offers and sample the foods, while staff members helped parents fill out forms for the school\u2019s free-and-reduced lunch program.<\/p>\n One important element: At all of the family events, a free dinner was provided. And younger siblings were very much welcome.<\/p>\n Another event included a meet-and-greet with the district\u2019s special education director, who answered questions. For many families, the chance to talk face-to-face with a special ed expert over an informal meal is very different than seeing the administrator\u2019s name on a website and wondering how best to reach out with questions.<\/p>\n On the final day of the program this year, students and their families gathered to enjoy Millie\u2019s Ice Cream and celebrate all the new experiences the kids had enjoyed. Parents were enthusiastic when they responded to a survey about the program, DeLuca says, and it was \u201cjust an exciting thing for the kids to celebrate their success.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>On the zip line at Dragon\u2019s Den. Photo by Ben Filio for Remake Learning.
\nRemoving barriers to family-inclusive learning opportunities<\/p>\n<\/a>Dragon\u2019s Den photo by Ben Filio for Remake Learning.
\nMaking reading fun through family field trips<\/p>\n