SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMS

September - May | Registration Opens Every April

We strive to create an after-school environment of safety and belonging by embracing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) practices. We achieve this by offering students homework help, unique literacy, and physical activities, and community guests sharing hands-on opportunities for students to explore interests in science, technology, engineering, arts, math, and music (STEAM).

Registered Audubon, Lincoln, and Marshall students will be transported to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dubuque, where they will have the opportunity to eat a balanced meal after 5 p.m.

Peosta students will receive a healthy snack each day.

ST. MARK HEROES SUMMER CAMP

JUNE - JULY | Registration Opens Every February

Every Adventure begins with You!  An energetic summer camp helping build excellent readers, learners, explorers, and kid heroes through various Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum. Camp is packed full of field trips and activities focused on literacy, STEAM, nature, and wellness.

dUBUQUE

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WESTERN DUBUQUE

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Supporting Our St. Mark Family

Ways to stay connected & more

Family Engagement

Events

Events like these offer families a chance to connect with each other, our team, and community partners during field trips, meals, and sponsored activities. These gatherings help staff and families strengthen relationships while engaging in crafts, games, and mealtime conversations, giving families the opportunity to share helpful tips and resources.

Community

Support

St. Mark Youth Enrichment leads community support programs, including "Apples for Students - Fill the Bag" through which we provide school supplies to more than 3,600 area students, and the Sponsor Angels program through which we provide warm winter clothing to students in need.


Resources & Links


Recent Updates

  • St. Mark Early Childhood Center: Redefining Early Childhood Education through Nature-Based Learning

    DUBUQUE, Iowa — As communities across the nation recognize the critical role of nature in early childhood development, St. Mark Youth Enrichment is set to lead the charge with the groundbreaking of its new Early Childhood Center, scheduled to open on September 1, 2025. This innovative facility will serve children from birth to age four, emphasizing the integration of nature-based learning with a focus on social-emotional health. This effort is further bolstered by St. Mark’s role as a key partner in Dubuque’s recent selection as a Nature Everywhere Community, a national initiative to increase equitable access to nature for children. The Case for Nature in Early Childhood Recent studies have illuminated the profound benefits of outdoor play and nature immersion for young children. Research indicates that engaging children in nature can enhance focus, impulse control, and overall well-being. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), strong social-emotional learning programs can yield an 11% increase in academic performance. Through its participation in the Nature Everywhere initiative, St. Mark is collaborating with local leaders and organizations to connect young children with nature while addressing climate resiliency. This aligns seamlessly with the center’s mission to foster curiosity, resilience, and emotional intelligence in children. “Nature is a powerful tool for early childhood development, improving physical health, academic outcomes, and emotional well-being,” said Danielle Willis, Director of Early Childhood at St. Mark Youth Enrichment. St. Mark’s Commitment to Growth St. Mark Youth Enrichment has long been a pillar of support for families in the Dubuque area, serving as a model for innovative educational practices. For over 35 years, St. Mark has adapted to the changing needs of the community, recently selling its original buildings to refocus its resources on enriching educational experiences for children and families. This strategic decision reflects the organization’s commitment to evolve and better serve the community. In the 2023-24 school year, St. Mark served 247 students through after-school and summer programs, achieving a 79% regular attendance rate. Notably, 97% of participants improved or maintained their literacy skills over the summer, while 85% demonstrated high levels of social-emotional skills. A Holistic Approach to Learning The upcoming Early Childhood Center will feature thoughtfully designed space, incorporating dedicated areas for nature play and exploration. Children will have abundant opportunities for outdoor engagement, immersing themselves in hands-on activities that promote creativity and wonder. St. Mark’s curriculum will integrate the Growing Up Wild program, which fosters environmental awareness and encourages young children to connect with nature through exploration and discovery. This approach aligns with the organization’s core pillars: Social Emotional Health: Nurturing emotional intelligence through nature play and exploration. Nature Exploration: Encouraging child-led, hands-on experiences that foster curiosity. Learning Lab & Training Model: Creating a ripple effect of positive impact by training others in the community to embrace social-emotional well-being. A Call to Action for Community Support To realize the vision for the St. Mark Early Childhood Center, the organization is in the midst of a capital campaign. St. Mark invites funders, community leaders, and businesses to join this transformative initiative, as their support is essential for creating a nurturing environment that prioritizes children’s well-being and development. “Your investment in St. Mark Youth Enrichment will help foster a generation of compassionate, resilient individuals who will positively contribute to our community,” said Jon Aguilar, Marketing & Development Coordinator. For more information on how to support the St. Mark Early Childhood Center, visit stmarkyouthenrichment.org/early-childhood or contact Jon Aguilar at (563) 582-6211, ext. 102 or via email at jaguilar@stmarkyouthenrichment.org.

  • St. Mark Youth Enrichment is asking for community support to help fill a 700-student fundraising shortfall.

    . . . working parents have enough to worry about—school supplies shouldn’t be one of them.

  • A Message from Our Executive Director: We’re selling our building, but our work is just starting.

    St. Mark Youth Enrichment is and will always be much more than these buildings on the corner of 12th and Locust St. Our mission is bigger than this space, so this organization is proceeding with the difficult choice to sell our original buildings. This decision will allow our mission to continue to grow in bigger ways and better serve the children and families of this amazing community. As a cherished member of our St. Mark family, we want you to hear this news from us first. This team and this organization owe so much to the former members of St. Mark Lutheran Church, who also made a difficult decision in the late 80s to disband their congregation, sell nearly all of their beloved stained glass windows, and use that seed money to grow the roots of what would become St. Mark Youth Enrichment. More than 30 years later, that unimaginably difficult decision has long outgrown these walls to now annually impact the lives of hundreds of young people in our school year and summer programs and over 3,000 youth through our community outreach efforts like Apples for Students, which provides new supplies for kids at nearly every school in our immediate area. Like those amazing congregation members before us, we are again making the right choice to sell something important to all of us so that we can continue to grow and provide more opportunities for our community’s kids. This includes expanding our existing after-school & summer programs as well as starting an early childhood center that will provide a space for children from birth to age five. This next big step means we can direct more resources towards helping our kids and less towards holding on to this historic building. We can use more resources towards a future St. Mark that embraces our founding principles to help our children see and realize all of their potential. This building is beautiful, but it comes with all the costs associated with maintaining a historic church building. Every dollar we continue to spend holding on to these walls is another dollar we could use to help more kids. Every dollar spent on this space is another we could use to open more opportunities for working families who desperately need a reliable option for their kids after school and during the summer. Every dollar we spend on repairs, maintenance, heating, and more is another dollar we can use to create spaces that embrace nature and allow kids to feel grass beneath their tiny toes. The journey ahead will not be immediate, but our existing afterschool & summer programs will continue in their current locations for the time being thanks to partnerships with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dubuque, St. John’s Episcopal Church, the Western Dubuque School District, & others. As we move forward with selling our original buildings (now used only for administration), we will expand new partnerships with Sedona Staffing, which will serve as a base for our admin staff, and Area Residential Care, which will house our pilot early childhood center.  Our work is just starting as we continue planning for our future space. Along the way, we will still rely on support from incredible people like you.   Thank you for supporting our kids and providing love, safety, belonging, and learning to the kids and families of the Greater Dubuque area. With Gratitude,  Dawn Cogan, Executive Director P.S. If you want to learn more about the journey ahead or our next steps into early childhood, please fill out the form on this page www.stmarkyouthenrichment.org/build. Thanks! 

Staff

Resources

Before School Program

M-F: 7 a.m. until start of school at Audubon, Fulton, Marshall, and Dyersville.

Students in K-5th engage in homework help, technology, literacy activities, games, hands-on enrichment and more. Students can also participate in school breakfast program.

After School Program

M-F: after school dismissal until 5:30 p.m. at Audubon, Lincoln, Marshall, Dyersville, Peosta, & Seton Catholic

Students in K-5th engage in homework help, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts,and math) literacy activities, hands-on enrichment, field experiences, community service, and more.