Volunteer

Pizza in the Park
(Friday September 18, 2026 & June 11, 2027 | Carl Schurz Park, 87th Street entrance | 5–7pm)

To celebrate the beginning and ending of the school year, we invite the whole YCS community to gather in Carl Schurz Park for pizza, fresh air, and good company. Bring a blanket, an outdoor game, and your own drinks. It’s free to attend with an RSVP requested for headcount, and a suggested $5 family donation is welcome but never required.

Ways to Volunteer

• Setup Crew (2 volunteers needed): Help transport tables from YCS to the park before the event and get the pizza area organized and ready for families as they arrive.

• Pizza Distribution (2 volunteers needed): Help receive the pizza delivery, keep the table stocked, and hand out slices to families during the evening.

• Clean-Up Crew (2 volunteers needed): Help pack up tables and any remaining supplies and make sure we leave the park as we found it.

When:
Friday September 25
Friday October 30
Friday December 18
Friday April 18
Fridays at school pick up 2:15pm-2:50pm

Snack Friday is a simple, joyful end-of-week event that YCS students love! Tables are set up outside each school entrance, stocked with homemade treats and store-bought snacks, and in the warmer months, popsicles too. Everything is just $1, and we offer both cash and cashless payment options.

Ways to Volunteer

• Bake or Buy (4-6 volunteers needed): Contribute homemade baked goods or store-bought snacks to keep the tables stocked. Drop-off before 1:30pm on the day of the event.

• Snack Table Volunteer (6 volunteers needed): Arrive by 2:00pm to help set up tables and lay out snacks before the doors open and the kids rush out. Sell snacks, make change, and handle cashless payments until around 2:50pm, then help break down and return tables inside. We need approximately 3 volunteers per table — it's a short but lively commitment.

If you would like to volunteer for this event, please sign up here.

Got questions? Reach out to VP Minor Events: Christine Mendez & Heather Walker

Sneakerball 2026
When: Friday, October 2, 2026, 5pm-6:30pm
Where: YCS Cafeteria

The Sneakerball is a brand-new celebration just for our youngest Dragons and their families. Pre-K and Kindergarteners are invited to dress their best — sneakers highly encouraged — and join us for pizza, dancing, and crafts in the YCS cafeteria. It's going to be a joyful evening designed to welcome our newest families into the YCS community, connect with other parents, and give our littlest students a night that's all their own. One adult per child is required.
Entry is free, with a $5 suggested donation per family.

Purchase tickets here: https://ycspta.betterworld.org/events/2026-ycs-sneakerball

Ways to volunteer:

• Setup Crew (4–6 volunteers needed): Arrive about an hour before the event to help decorate the cafeteria, arrange the space for dancing and games, and get the pizza, snacks, and drinks table ready for families.

• Event Helpers: (4–6 volunteers): Includes welcome/check in, snacks & drinks, crafts table, DIY DJ.

• Clean-Up Crew (3-4 volunteers needed): Help tidy up after the event and leave the cafeteria just as we found it.
  
  Volunteer sign up sheet located here.

Got questions? Reach out to event leads: Emily and Anu

When: Sunday October 25 2026, from 11am-3pm
Where: 88th Street between York Ave & 1st Ave

The Fall Festival is the biggest fall event on the YCS calendar: a full street fair that takes over 88th Street and brings the entire neighborhood together. Bounce houses, face painting, crafts, games, food, and community partners all come together for a day that feels like a true celebration of everything that makes YCS special. It’s also one of our most important fundraisers of the year, and it truly takes a village to pull off. Whether you have an hour or a full day to give, there is a spot for you.

Ways to Volunteer

• Planning Committee (4-6 volunteers needed): In the weeks leading up to the festival, help coordinate vendors, communications, sponsorships, volunteer scheduling, and logistics. This is a significant time commitment but incredibly impactful — the day runs smoothly thanks to the work done beforehand.

• Setup Crew (10-20 volunteers needed): Arrive early on the day of the festival to help close the street, set up tables, hang signage, and get everything in place before the event kicks off.

• Activity Volunteer (20-30 volunteers needed): Run a game, staff a craft table, help with face painting, manage ticket sales, or assist community partners at their activity stations. Shifts are available throughout the day so you can participate in a way that fits your schedule.

• Clean-Up Crew (10-20 volunteers needed): Help break down booths, collect signage, remove equipment, and return the street to its original condition.

If you would like to volunteer, please sign up here.

Got questions? Reach out to VP Major Fundraising Events: Laura D’Amico & Ronya Gordan

When: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Where: YCS Main Lobby, All day

Every Election Day, YCS transforms into one of the most delicious polling sites in the neighborhood. Since our school is a major community polling location, we set up a bake sale in the main lobby from early morning through the evening, welcoming voters, neighbors, and school families alike

Ways to Volunteer

• Bake or Buy: The backbone of the bake sale is the goods themselves. Bake a batch at home or pick up items at the supermarket — just plan to individually wrap and label everything beforehand. The more the merrier; we can always sell more than we expect .

• Morning Shift (7:30am–early afternoon): The pre-9am window is our busiest. Arrive early to set up, organize the table, and start selling. High energy, fast-paced, and a lot of fun.

• Afternoon/Evening Shift: Keep the momentum going through the afternoon polling rush. Help restock, sell, and wrap up the event when goods run low. Leftovers, if any, can be delivered to the Community Fridge.

When: November 16–18, 2026
Where: YCS Cafeteria, approx 7:30am-11:30am
Family Shopping Night November 18 5:00pm-7:30pm

The Scholastic Book Fair is a beloved annual event, giving every YCS student the chance to browse and bring home a brand-new book. Held over three school-day mornings plus a Family Shopping Night, the fair includes dedicated in-school shopping time for each class and an evening where parents and children can browse together. All proceeds benefit the YCS PTA.

Ways to Volunteer

• Pre-Fair Inventory Sort: Before the fair begins, help unbox the arriving cases and sort through materials — setting aside non-book items so that in-school shopping stays focused on books. A behind-the-scenes contribution that sets the event up for success. (3-4 volunteers needed)

• Daily Morning Shift (School Days): First set of volunteers arrive by 7:30am to help set up registers, open and restock cases, and lay out pre-loved books. During shopping periods, volunteers assist at the register or help younger students browse and make selections. At the end volunteers break down the book fair set up (~4-5 volunteers per day, shifts align with shopping periods through ~11/11:30am)

• Family Shopping Night (Friday November 18, 5:00-7:30pm): Help set up the expanded fair floor, assist families as they browse, manage the register, keep things organized, and clean up at the end of the evening. (4-6 volunteers needed)

When: Saturday January 23, 2027, 1-6pm
Where: YCS Cafeteria

Movie Night is a laid-back winter event; a cozy evening (and afternoon!) where students and families come together to enjoy a film in the cafeteria. With free popcorn for every child, pillows and blankets welcome, and two showings to fit different schedules, it's the kind of event that feels like a treat for the whole community. Entry is free and all are welcome. (4-6 volunteers needed)

Ways to Volunteer

• Setup Crew: Arrive about 2 hours before showtime to set up the screen, check audio, arrange seating, pop popcorn, and get the snack table ready for families.

• Snack Table: Manage the snack table during the showing, selling treats, keeping things organized, and making sure families have what they need throughout the film.

• Clean-Up Crew: Help break down the space after the final showing — clearing the cafeteria, packing up equipment, and leaving the school just as we found it.

When: Saturday March 6, from 6pm-8pm
International Fest is one of YCS’s most beloved community events, bringing together students, families, and staff to celebrate the many cultures represented within our school. Families can explore interactive country tables, enjoy an international potluck, cheer on student performances, and participate in a joyful World Parade. The event is a wonderful opportunity to share traditions, learn about one another, and celebrate the diversity that makes the YCS community so special. 

Ways to Volunteer

• Country Table Host (day of event): Represent a country or culture by creating a simple display, sharing artifacts or food, and leading a small activity for visiting students.

• Planning Team: Help coordinate logistics, communications, volunteers, performances, and other event details in the weeks leading up to International Fest.

• Day of Crew (Set-Up/Clean up) Set up Crew: Help arrange tables, decor tablecloths, signage, check-in materials, and other event supplies before families arrive. Clean-Up Crew: Help break down tables, remove decorations, organize supplies, and return the space to its original condition after the event. Leftovers, if any, can be delivered to the Community Fridge.

• Potluck Contributor (day of event): Bring a homemade or store-bought dish that reflects your family's culture or favorite cuisine.

When: May 22, 2027, from 7pm-11pm

The Spring Benefit is our most important fundraiser of the year. Dance the night away with your fellow YCS parent community, eat delicious food and desserts, enjoy an open bar with signature cocktails and mocktails, and participate in a lively evening of silent and live auctions, all in support of the programs and people that make YCS extraordinary. Every bid directly funds arts, recess coaches, classroom staff, and enrichment programs for all 400+ students. It's a meaningful night wrapped in a fun party, and it takes an enormous amount of work behind the scenes to make it happen.

Ways to Volunteer

• Planning Committee: The Benefit requires lots of advance preparation. If you have skills in event planning, design, communications, or hospitality, this is where they shine.

• Setup and clean up crew (day of): Arrive ahead of the event to help transform the venue: arranging tables, setting up auction displays, placing signage, and getting everything guest-ready before the doors open. At the end of the night, many hands makes light work to leave the cafeteria as we found it!

• Auction Item Solicitation: Help reach out to local businesses, restaurants, and community partners to secure donated items and unique experiences for the silent and live auctions. Can be done largely on your own schedule in the weeks leading up to the event.

• Auction Management & Organization: Organize, catalog, display, and track auction items before and during the event, and assist with winner communication and item distribution afterward.