Bigfork ACES, now the Bigfork Youth Center, has gotten more than a few fresh coats of paint — the program has been revamped with the goal of continuing to be a fun, educational place where kids in Bigfork can go after school. 

The after-school program has been offering a safe learning environment for children since 2011, settling into their current location on Commerce Street about six years ago. They serve over 100 children, who attend the program free of charge.

Though current leadership declined to provide details about why former director Cathy Hay left the program, they said they are looking toward the future.  

“After many years of service, our former director has moved on and we are taking over with renewed hope for the future,” Co-director Christel Gibson said.  

Gibson, who was working as the program’s administrator, grant manager and Human Resources Director, now runs the Bigfork Youth Center alongside co-director Amber Mulder. Mulder has been a paraprofessional educator with Bigfork Schools over the last several years, but worked for about a year at the Bigfork Youth Center prior to that job.  

The Bigfork Youth Center has kept the same board and leadership structure and will continue to provide after school programming for children from kindergarten through 8th grade, as well as their popular summer camp.  

Gibson said their enrollment is up 35% from last year.  

There was a little bit of elbow grease to prepare the building for this new chapter, she said.  

They had a hard deadline to be open by the start of the school year, so there was a lot of time spent last summer repainting and cleaning — to make the building more colorful and kid-friendly. 

Gibson said it was the hardest she’s ever worked, but it was important to be open on time for the families they serve.  

“We repainted and added some plants ... It was just (getting to) a really high cleanliness standard that we have. We opened, emptied and cleaned out every cabinet, drawer—every single item in here,” she said.  

Mulder said they’ve gotten good feedback from parents recently about the changes.  

"Their kids are really happy and want to come here. We do have a lot of parents that will come to pick up their kids and they will be like, ‘Can we stay?’ And parents will go do some grocery shopping and then come back and get their kids a little later. So that's great,” Mulder said.  

Mulder and Gibson work alongside Middle School Program Director Jenni Cosand, high school staff, board members and volunteers.  

“We have really wonderful staff right now with just the greatest people. And we have about seven teens from the high school. Some of them are kids who've gone through this program themselves, so that's really special,” Gibson said.  

Another recent change is a completely separate space for the middle school kids. A unit at the Little Jon Apartments was donated to them, which Cosand transformed into a cozy space with a grant provided by the Whitefish Community Foundation.  

Cosand, who helped start the Grounded Teen Center in Bigfork, said their programming is a little less structured than it is for elementary schoolers. This could mean a guided activity, but also just giving them time to work on their homework or spend time outdoors. 

It’s important to give pre-teens a little bit of freedom and to have time in their day where they get to choose what they're doing, she added.  

“I think a lot of times that's because programs that are available to them include the younger kids, and they don't want to go hang out with bunch of little kids. So to have their own place that's theirs is helpful,” Cosand said.  

So far, it’s proven popular. Gibson said they are at capacity for their middle school program right now.  

“They love it, and I think that's really rare in our country, to have middle schoolers who actually want to go to an after-school program ... They come voluntarily and that is a real accomplishment, I think,” Gibson said.  

They don’t get to play on their phones, though, as another goal for the team at the Bigfork Youth Center is to be “screen free.” Gibson said they want the kids to have a traditional childhood experience with no cell phones. So far, everyone has been so engaged in their activities that they haven’t had to think about confiscating devices. 

For their younger attendees, Mulder said their activities are based-off of a five day schedule. On Mondays they focus on art, Tuesdays revolve around STEM, there is a multi-cultural day on Wednesday (where they try new foods), a reading day on Thursday and ‘free choice’ Fridays.  

One of the biggest benefits the program provides is a hot meal for students, prepared by Gibson and Mulder.  

After filling their bellies, kids dive into their planned activities, which includes “a 10-minute transition period.” During this time, they’ll get some exercise in on “movement Mondays” or just check-in and touch base with everyone on “talking Tuesdays.”  

“If anyone wants to share anything, good or bad, we accept all of that they can share ...” Mulder said. “We go into our activity between 4 and 5 p.m., but at 5:30 they have free time. And it's kind of fun, because the high schoolers will play Just Dance or something like that with them and all the kids will join in. It's the cutest thing.”  

With their close proximity to the schools, Mulder said they have a good relationship with the district, which includes picking up the students and allowing them to use the playground until after-school traffic dissipates.  

Gibson said they also have partnerships with the Bigfork United Methodist Church, where the kids go play chess on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center, which provides woodworking classes for program attendees every Friday. In addition to this, they also frequently take the kids down to the new library.  

The crew is also looking forward to their eight-week summer camp, which includes collaborations with the Montana Kayaking Academy and the Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre. In addition to the kayaking lessons and theater camp, there will also be activities dedicated to exploring the outdoors, art projects, games and do-it-yourself activities like cooking, gardening and making homemade ice cream, according to their website.  

The second week of the camp will be provided free for all families, owing to a grant, Gibson said. Registration is now open for the camp, which runs June 22 through Aug. 14 for children ages five to 14. 

Grant funding is important to the Bigfork Youth Center, which is able to provide its services free-of-charge after being awarded the federal 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. The grant awards half a million dollars over the course of five years to the program. 

Gibson said being awarded this grant means they aren’t allowed to charge fees for their after-school program, leaving them to rely on fundraising efforts and other grants for the rest of their operational costs.  

The program has been important to working families in Bigfork for more than a decade now, with limited child care options in the area.  

“I know how hard it is to live here, like parents have to work. You don't have an option to get off at three o'clock. You have to pay your mortgage and your bills and buy food ... it’s great to able to have somewhere that you can send your kids that is safe, where you know they're building community,” Cosand said.  

Everyone working at the Bigfork Youth Center is focused on getting to know the kids and fostering a good environment for them, Gibson said.  

“We're really proud of it and we just really love these kids. You know, outcomes for kids who have a place in their life where they feel heard and welcomed—it’s just so valuable,” Gibson said.   

The Bigfork Youth Center is also preparing for their annual Cowabunga Show, which is put on annually in partnership with the Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre. Proceeds from the variety show will go toward both organizations, as well as the Bigfork Ladies Service Club. The show takes place April 17 and 18 at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts.  

To learn more about the Bigfork Youth Center, including how to register for their summer camp, visit www.bigforkyouthcenter.org/ 

Reporter Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].   

This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Mulder's last name.

    Co-directors Christel Gibson and Amber Mulder at the Bigfork Youth Center on Thursday, Feb. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)