YOUTH PROGRAMS REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT

How to I register for youth programs?  

  • Registration and payment for all our youth programs can be handled through our program pages, which are linked to our K-12 Education Page. Registration can also be handled through our event calendar by navigating to the day of the program (or first day of the program series).

Do you offer a payment plan?  

  • We do not have a payment plan available. Full tuition is due at the time of registration, except for need-based scholarship applicants who can delay payment until they have received notice of any scholarship award the Center for Architecture is able to provide.

Do you have a multiple child discount?  

  • We do not offer a multiple child discount.

What does waitlist mean?  

  • Waitlist means that registration for a program is currently full. You are welcome to sign up for the waitlist, but a spot will only open if someone else cancels their registration. You are placed on the waitlist in the order that you registered. To be added to a waitlist, please email k12education@centerforarchitecture.org and provide your name, email, phone number, student’s name, student’s grade, and the name and date of the program you are interested in. We will contact you if a spot opens in the program.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?  

  • Registration for all programs is non-transferable. Tuition for all programs is non-refundable. There are no exceptions to this policy. The Center for Architecture will not provide make-ups or refunds for days missed as a result of vacation plans, scheduling conflicts, illness, emergencies, or other events beyond our control.
  • For more information, please see our In-Person Youth Programs Terms & Conditions and our Online Youth Programs Terms & Conditions.

YOUTH PROGRAMS SCHOLARSHIPS

Do you offer scholarships for youth programs?  

How do I apply for a need-based scholarship for youth programs?  

  • Upon completing program registration as a scholarship applicant, you will automatically receive a confirmation email which includes a link to the Scholarship Application. Your registration is complete once you submit the Scholarship Application. 

How much of the program tuition does a scholarship cover? 

  • If you are requesting a full scholarship, we still typically ask that the applicant contribute approximately 25% of the total program cost 

I am unable to submit my most recent tax return, but we will not be able to afford the full price of the program. Can I still apply for a scholarship? 

  • Yes. When you submit your Scholarship Application please explain your situation, list your requested scholarship amount, and upload an alternate proof of financial need (e.g. Medicaid or Child Health Plus Insurance, SNAP benefit card, school financial aid package etc.) 

When will I know how much I am awarded for my scholarship? 

  • Within one – two weeks of the scholarship deadline, you will be sent an email stating your award amount with instructions on how to pay the remaining balance.  

If a program is sold out, can I still apply as a scholarship applicant? 

  • Unfortunately, no. Our registration period is the same for all students and once a course is full, we cannot accept any further applicants. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist for a course as a scholarship applicant, please email k12education@centerforarchitecture.org. In the email state your name, email, phone number, which program you would like to join the waitlist for, and the fact that you would like to apply as a scholarship applicant.  

TEEN WORKSHOPS and VACATION PROGRAMS

How many students will be in each class?  

  • Our in-person Teen Workshops and Vacation programs have a maximum of 12-16 students per class, depending on the classroom used. Online programs have a maximum of 16 students per class.

What is the student to teacher ratio? 

  • In most courses, there will be one lead educator and one assistant educator, creating a 1:6 or 1:8 adult to student ratio.

Is there flexibility in the age groups? 

  • All grade levels are based on the grade the student is in at the time of the program. Students are not eligible to go up a grade level.

Are your programs appropriate for students with special needs?  

  • While we try to accommodate all types of learners, our programs are not specifically designed for students with special needs. We have one lead educator per course who divides their time assisting all students in the course equally. While there is constant guidance and support throughout the course, we do expect students to be independent and self-motivated workers. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us.

What happens if my child can’t attend a day or if they will be late? 

  • Please email k12education@centerforarchitecture.org or call 212-358-6133 and notify our Youth Programs Manager if your child will be late or absent on any given day. If there is a perpetual lateness issue that we think a parent may be unaware of (primarily for older students), our staff will reach out to you. There are no make-ups or refunds for missed days.

Do you offer before or after care for these programs? 

  • No. Due to other events in our spaces, we cannot accommodate early arrivals or late pick-ups.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

How many people will be in each class? 

  • Our Family Programs will have a maximum of 48 people per class.

Do you accept walk-ins for Family Programs? 

  • In order to prepare materials, we require all families to pre-register online for our Family Programs.

Are adults required to attend these programs or are they suitable for children on their own?  

  • Our Family Programs are not drop-off programs. At least one adult is required to accompany young learners. These workshops are designed to be of interest to both adults and children and provide engaging inter-generational design activities.

I’m not able to attend this month’s program but I really love the topic. Will it be offered again? 

  • We do not repeat Family Program themes within a school year (September – June), but we will often bring back popular themes the following year.

IN-PERSON YOUTH PROGRAMS

Where should I go on the first day of the program? 

  • All in-person programs meet at the Center for Architecture at 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY 10012. For drop-off programs, adults will need to remain until check-in is complete, unless permission has been given to have the child come and go on their own (designated during registration). Additional check-in procedure information will be sent to all families via email prior to their program.

Who can sign out my child? 

  • People signing out students must be listed as authorized pick-up persons on our sign-in sheet. You can designate these individuals when completing registration and can add individuals to this list at any point via email. Students in grades 6-12 can sign themselves out with adult permission. This permission is designated during the registration process and can be changed, if needed, by a parent or guardian by contacting k12education@centerforarchitecture.org. High School students in Teen Workshops will self-dismiss.

ONLINE YOUTH PROGRAMS

Are there any materials we will need for online programs? 

  • We ask all students to have pencils, pens, blank paper, crayons/markers/colored pencils, scissors, and a ruler or straightedge.

What platform will you use for online classes?  

  • We will use the Center for Architecture’s Zoom Video Conferencing for our online programs.
  • We will also use Microsoft SharePoint/OneDrive to share digital program materials with students. This is a great way to share program resources without clogging up your inboxes.
  • For our Digital Design classes, we will be using the digital software program SketchUp. We will send instructions for downloading the free version of this program to all registered families.

What technology does my child need in order to participate?  

  • Students will need a computer, laptop, or tablet that has a camera and a microphone. Steady internet access is also required. Although not required, headphones with a built-in microphone are helpful. 
  • For our Digital Design classes, students must have a computer or laptop (not a tablet) and an external three-click mouse. Tablets cannot run the digital design software used in these classes. Students must also download a free version of SketchUp prior to the class or locate the web-based SketchUp portal. Instructions will be sent in program confirmation emails.  
  • For Drawing Architecture, students will be asked to photograph their drawings and to upload these files to our online portal, so a cell phone camera is useful. 

Can my child attend an online class on their phone?  

  • Although mobile phones do work with the Zoom platform, students cannot use a phone as the main means of connection to the class. A phone can be useful as a secondary device, however, to enable students to stay connected to the class while trying out an activity away from their computer, or to provide another view of their work to share with our educators.

Can both of my children participate in the same online program using the same computer?  

  • Yes, this would be possible for any program that is not labeled “Digital Design,” as the computer will be used primarily as a vehicle for group discussions and presentations. You will need to register each child individually, as the cap on students is per child, not per device. For all Digital Design programs (the ones with computer-based model making), however, each student will need their own computer, as this will serve as their main design tool.

Is my internet speed fast enough for these classes?  

  • You’ll need reliable internet access to attend our online programs. While everyone’s internet speed capabilities are unique to their location, most homes will be well equipped to handle these classes. If you would like further specifics, you can check out Zoom’s system requirements here.

Will students need a special microphone and/or headphones?  

  • No, students won’t need anything special, as long as their device has a built-in camera and microphone. Although not required, headphones with a built-in microphone are helpful. The headphones will allow for your students to hear the class clearly (and likely will be appreciated by others in your household!).

Where are the links for my child to attend classes? 

  • We will send out links via email to all participants in the week prior to the program. We suggest that you bookmark these links or save the email somewhere for easy access throughout the program.

What kind of online protection is there for these classes?  

  • Every class is password protected. The link to participate in the class, along with the password, will be sent to all participating families prior to the program start date. Email addresses and contact information collected in the registration process will not be shared with others.

What if I don’t have, or I lost, the link or password?  

  • First, do a search for emails from k12education@centerforarchitecture.org to see if it’s hiding somewhere in your email. If you still cannot find it, send us an email and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.