Stronger Together
Welcome to the Ohio Valley Youth Network official website
The Ohio Valley Youth Network is an alliance of individuals and groups working together to provide dynamic life skills training and experiences to children and young adults of the upper Ohio Valley. The OVYN is the 501c3 Non-Profit that owns and runs the Sycamore Youth Center.
Join us in our efforts to help our community.
About Us
The Ohio Valley Youth Network strives to provide equitable, accessible, after-school programs to offer safe, wholesome, fun activities that educate and empower local youth of all backgrounds and abilities, especially those who are underprivileged.
Our Goals
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Establish immediate changes to better meet the needs of Jefferson County residents and promote education, healthy lifestyle choices, social equity, and economic self-sufficiency, especially among our underprivileged youth.
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Launch targeted innovations and pilot projects to test exciting ideas.
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Respond to the community's desire to have a family-oriented programming center that provides a venue of opportunity and hope to individuals who reside in the communities and neighborhoods within the Ohio Valley.
What We Offer
Community-Based Events
The Valley's Got Talent Competition
Retro Night Dinner Concert
Sycamore Goes Broadway Concert
Old-Fashioned Country Christmas Concert
Sycamore Sings Online Concerts
Sycamore Summer Concert Series
Large-Scale Programming
60 Weekly After School Life Skills Classes at the Sycamore Youth Center
Sycamore Summer Weekend Food Program
The Valley's Got Talent and Talent Agency
Sycamore Summer Camp
Monthly OVYN networking meetings
Illuminate the Future:
New Stage Lighting Fundraiser
Join hands with Impact Church (one church, two locations) and the Ohio Valley Youth Network (the OVYN is the 501c3 Non-Profit that owns and runs the Sycamore Youth Center) as we embark on an inspiring journey to uplift our community's talents and spirits! We are thrilled to announce a collaborative fundraiser aimed at raising $15,500 to install new stage lighting systems at both the Impact Weirton Campus and the Impact Steubenville Campus, which is housed at the Sycamore Youth and Community Center. Thank you!
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Local Initiatives
Mobile Food Pantry
Weekly Outreach
Throughout the summer, the Sycamore Youth Center (partnered with the Urban Mission of Steubenville) will be handing out bagged meals every Friday at nine locations in Steubenville and Wintersville as part of their Mobile Food Pantry. This is possible thanks to your generous donations.
Sycamore on Wheels Summer Activities
The Sycamore Youth Center will be organizing several fun outdoor activities in local neighborhoods throughout the summer. This will include sports activities, opportunities for local kids to gather together in a safe, supervised setting, and a partnership with the local library's bookmobile to provide access to reading materials for local kids.
Catholic Heart Work Camp Summer 2024
The Ohio Valley Youth Network will be partnering with CHWC to host over 300 young adults this summer. The workers will be assisting with manual labor at various job sites (including private homes, missions, and businesses) in the local Steubenville area. To apply for assistance through this opportunity, contact Bobbyjon Bauman (bobbyjon@ovyn.org).
The Sycamore Center is the biggest project led under the Ohio Valley Youth Network. Its goal is to provide a safe, wholesome environment for the youth of the Ohio Valley to learn life skills, practice ministry, and make long-lasting friendships with other students. With our large, dedicated staff and volunteers, the Sycamore Center has provided a home for hundreds of kids around the area.
