Youth & Teen

Please see our Activities Guide for enrichment opportunities:

Summer Activities Guide [PDF/56.6MB]

Summer Activities Guide (Spanish) [PDF/81.5MB]

Additional Opportunities

Please see our Winter-Spring Activities Guide, coming November 11, for licensed spring break and summer camp opportunities.

Summer Camps Activities Guide

 Summer Camps Registration

Spring Break Camp

March 23-27, 2026
Aligns with Adams 12, Mapleton, and 27J spring breaks.

Registration opens at 7 a.m. on November 23. 

Partial-Day Kid Camps

June 1-August 7

Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4, for Thornton residents and Thursday, February 5, for non-residents.

Preschool Kid Camp (ages 2 1/2-6)
At this camp children will practice letters and letter sounds, sight-words, numbers, colors and shapes in addition to center play and doing projects, fitness and outside play.

School-Age Kid Camp (ages 5-10)
Send your school-age child to enjoy crafts, cooking projects, fitness, games and outdoor fun.

Full-Day Escape to Adventure and Counselor Cadet

June 1-July 31

Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4, for Thornton residents and Thursday, February 5, for non-residents.

Escape to Adventure 

Give your kids (ages 5-13 & completed kindergarten) a fun-filled summer at Escape to Adventure. They will have fun using the recreation facility, going on field trips, playing games, participating in sports and doing projects and arts and crafts.

Counselor Cadet

Youth and teen (ages 13-16) receive training, practice and hours to become a youth program aid. They work alongside the counselors and youth to develop their skills while also engaging in camp activities.

Image

This FREE drop-in program will give children the opportunity to enjoy:
Coloring & Crafts  I  Board Games  I  Group Games  I  Sports Equipment  I  Puzzles & More
A free healthy snack is provided for everyone under 18 years of age!

For more information, please contact Jenny Dowdell at Jenny.Dowdell@ThorntonCO.gov or 720-977-5934.

Free Daytime Drop-In Sports Program

This free daytime drop-in sports program meets Monday-Thursday in June and July at the Sky Park Amphitheater. Weather Permitting. Bring water, sunscreen, bug spray and a hat. FREE for youth of all ages!

For more information, please contact Jennie Christoffel at Jennie.Christoffel@ThorntonCO.gov or 720-977-5916.

This free, supervised summer program supports youth ages 11-17 to help others in their community while earning volunteer credit. Volunteer Corps staff transports and supervises the group of youth volunteers at designated projects each week. 

For more information, please contact Jenny Dowdell at Jenny.Dowdell@ThorntonCO.gov or 720-977-5934.

Apply Here

"It creates such great self-esteem and provokes responsibility; it's great."
- Ryan Martin

Image

"It's a great opportunity to meet new people and have a blast giving back."
- Ashley Latimer

1.  How do I get involved with the program? 

This summer-only program will run from June 1 through July 31. To get started, you must complete the Youth & Teen Volunteer Corps application. Please note that this is not Volunteer Thornton. The Youth & Teen Volunteer Corps has its own application, which must be completed annually by each volunteer. The correct application link should have been included in the informational email.

An email address is required to participate. Once Jenny Dowdell receives your application, she will send you a welcome email and add you to the SignUp.com invitation list so you can begin receiving weekly volunteer invitations. The first invitation email will be sent on Wednesday, May 28, with additional invitations sent every Friday beginning June 5.

2. How many hours do I have to volunteer to be a part of the program? 

You can volunteer for as many or as few hours as you wish. Your commitment to the program will begin and end with the volunteer opportunities you sign up for. 

3. How do I know what I am volunteering for? 

We will use SignUp.com for the 2026 weekly online sign-up process.

Please note: If the following rules for the virtual sign-up process are not followed, any additional volunteer selections may be removed. We will use SignUp for weekly scheduling, with each week defined as Tuesday through Monday. Every volunteer must have a functional email address to participate. Each Friday, volunteers will receive an invitation by email to sign up for that week’s volunteer opportunities.

SignUp does not have the ability to limit the number of projects each volunteer selects. Because we have a large number of participants in the program, we have established guidelines to ensure volunteer opportunities remain fair and accessible to everyone.

The sign-up process is as follows:

• Volunteers may sign up for one project each Friday.
• Volunteers may sign up for one additional project each Saturday.
• Volunteers may sign up for one additional project each Sunday.
• Volunteers may sign up for any remaining openings each Monday.

Staff members will review SignUp each evening from Friday through Sunday to ensure participants are following the one-project-per-day guideline. This process is intended to give all volunteers a fair opportunity to register for their preferred projects, especially those who may only be available on certain days or at certain times during the week.

SignUp will also send each participant a reminder email 24 hours before their scheduled project. If a teen volunteer does not have an email address, a parent’s email may be used, or staff can assist with setting up a free Gmail account with parent permission. Each volunteer must have a unique email address.

4. What if I sign up for a volunteer activity, but cannot make it? 

If you are signed up for an activity and are unable to attend, it is your responsibility to contact Jenny Dowdell at 720-977-5934 as soon as possible. If it is the day of your scheduled project and you reach her voicemail, please press “0” to speak with the Community Center front desk so staff can be notified.

Providing advance notice serves two important purposes. First, it allows staff to offer your spot to another volunteer who may be interested in participating. Second, it ensures staff are not delayed waiting for participants to arrive, which could impact scheduled departure times or project activities. 

5. Pay attention to the details!  

Each project listing includes important details and requirements. These may include signed waivers, closed-toe shoes, long pants, or specific items participants need to bring. Please review and follow all project requirements carefully. Volunteers who do not meet the listed requirements, including appropriate clothing or completed waivers, may not be allowed to participate.

6. How do I get in touch with Volunteer Corps Staff? 

You can call Jenny Dowdell, Recreation Supervisor at 720-977-5934 or jenny.dowdell@thorntonco.gov. 

7. How much does the program cost? 

The program is free. 

8. What do I need to bring with me when I volunteer? 

Volunteers are required to wear their Youth & Teen Volunteer Corps T-shirt during all volunteer activities. Participants should also bring food, water and sunscreen each day. Please bring enough food and water for the length of your volunteer shift. Volunteers should always apply and bring sunscreen, especially for outdoor projects. If you are volunteering for four or more hours, please bring a well-balanced meal.

If you are volunteering for school credit or another organization that requires documentation of volunteer hours, you must bring your verification booklet or paperwork each day you volunteer to have your hours signed. Do not wait until the end of the summer to request signatures for completed volunteer hours.

9. How old do you have to be to volunteer? 

The Thornton Youth and Teen Volunteer Corps accepts participants ages 11 to 17; however, some volunteer locations may have their own age restrictions.

10. What about transportation? 

Participants and their parents or guardians are responsible for transportation to and from the Thornton Community Center, 2211 Eppinger Blvd. Once participants arrive at the Community Center, Youth and Teen Volunteer Corps staff will provide transportation in city-owned or city-rented vehicles.

11. Can we purchase additional T-shirts? 

Volunteers are required to wear their Volunteer Corps T-shirt during all volunteer activities. The City of Thornton provides one T-shirt to each volunteer, which will be distributed at the participant’s first volunteer assignment. Additional T-shirts may be purchased for $5 each.

12. How many volunteers can participate in each activity? 

The number of volunteers allowed for each activity may vary. In many cases, participation is limited by transportation capacity or by restrictions set by the organization hosting the volunteer project. The program can transport up to 12 volunteers and three staff members.

13. What is the staff to participant ratio? 

This can be dictated by the number of volunteers we can take on a particular activity. The average would be 1 to 4 and the most would be 1 to 7. 

14. What if I am volunteering for hours for school/community service? 

If you are participating in this program to fulfill volunteer-hour requirements for school or another organization, please bring your paperwork each time you volunteer so staff can complete and sign the documentation the same day your hours are earned. It is the volunteer’s responsibility to ensure all paperwork is completed.

Volunteers who are not completing hours for school, court requirements or another program are strongly encouraged to keep their own record of volunteer hours and projects completed. Many participants later use this experience on college, scholarship or job applications and may need documentation in the future. Please note that program records are only maintained for the current year and the previous year, and only total volunteer hours are retained, not specific project details.

15. Supervision

The City of Thornton will provide supervision during transportation and while volunteers are participating in projects. Youth and Teen Volunteer Corps staff are not responsible for supervision if participants are dropped off before the project start time or picked up after the scheduled return time.

The Thornton Community Center offers a Teen Space shared with the Anythink Library on site. This space is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is available for free use. Youth may also use the Thornton Community Center after projects. Admission options include a day pass, punch card or membership.

The T-Pass is recommended. It costs $50, is available for youth ages 10–16, and is valid from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It includes unlimited admission to outdoor pools, unlimited access to the Community Center, Carpenter Recreation Center and Trail Winds Recreation Center, one sports package (84 pitches) per day at the batting cages and one small bucket of range balls per day at the golf course.

16. Parent/Guardian Contact Information

It is important that current contact information for a parent or guardian is on file for each participant. Please ensure a valid, working phone number is provided on the application form.

17. Late Arrivals & No Shows

If you are running late or unable to attend, please call 720-977-5934 as soon as possible. If you are not at the Thornton Community Center at the scheduled meet or departure time, staff will contact your parent or guardian to confirm your safety. Please treat your position in the Youth and Teen Volunteer Corps like a job and notify staff if you are unable to attend.

After two no-shows, you will be removed from the SignUp email list for the following week and from any upcoming projects you are scheduled to attend. Two tardies equal one no-show.

THANK YOU for choosing to share your summer with us! We will have fun and help people and our community along the way. 

Apply Here

Calling all civically minded youth! Do you have ideas for youth and teen activities and volunteering? Would you like to be a leader in your community? The Thornton Youth Council (TYC) is accepting applications for the school year. Join us as we think outside our box to come up with and create activities to help our community.

You must be in middle school or high school, live in Thornton, maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA and be drug and alcohol free. Contact Jennie Christoffel at 720-977-5916 or Jennie.Christoffel@ThorntonCO.gov for more information.

Image

Executive Council

• President: Messiah Williams
• Vice President: Ayan Agarwal
• Secretary: Ronald Lai
• Recorder: Lydia Lai

Are you looking for a group of like-minded booklovers to share your thoughts, participate in conversations and compete in quiz and trivia- style games? Join Generational Opportunities Book Strikers and read books to enjoy the activities. Future books will be voted on by the group(s). This is a free club and light refreshments will be provided. 

Please call 720-977-5916 for information regarding future books and available copies.

Club Schedule