Side By Side Kansas

02/21/2026

Sometimes the best moments aren’t planned.

I came up to the office this weekend just to get some paperwork done… and when I pulled in, I saw Coach Ray out in the field with his kids.

He had them outside moving, laughing, competing — getting off the screens and actually living a little. He was talking to them about taking advantage of the weekend, recharging their batteries, and coming into Monday ready to perform… especially at school.

That’s the stuff that matters. Practical life skills. Discipline. Balance. Learning how to reset and show up better the next day.

Shout out to Coach Ray. He’s a real one.

02/19/2026

Side By Side is open and ACTIVELY serving our youth state wide!!!

We are more than a program! We’re a safe space!
A place for growth.
A place for structure.
A place where youth are supported mentally, academically and emotionally!

Our mission is simple:
To walk side by side with every child and family we serve building confidence, character, leadership, and opportunity!

We are committed to creating an environment where youth feel seen, heard, and empowered to succeed!

📍 Open 8AM–8PM | 7 Days a Week
📞 Enrolling Now
💡 Building the mindset of future CEOs, one day at a time!

The doors are open.
The support is here.
Side By Side “WE MOVE AS ONE!”

“Where Dreams Take Flight!” ✈️

02/16/2026

02/16/2026

Kicking off a new week with a new cohort for new hire training — and I’m genuinely excited about this group.

These are mission-focused people who didn’t just take a job… they’re stepping into purpose. We’re grateful to have them joining the Side by Side + Next Level mission and getting ready to serve the community the right way.

Huge thank you to Bryce Graham for organizing a full week of training. We’re being intentional: preparing our team, setting the standard, and making sure they’re ready as they shadow our current skill coaches before entering the field.

Proud of this team already. Let’s go.

02/16/2026

Are you looking for a place where your child can learn real life skills?
Need a safe space where they can debrief their day, strengthen their mental health, and feel supported?
Looking for tutoring, homework help, or support with school projects?
LOOK NO FURTHER ! TODAY IS THE DAY!

✨ WELCOME TO THRIVE TIME AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM! ✨

We are officially opening the doors to Thrive Time After School Program! A weekly program led by the amazing Mrs. Dana McCall and Mrs. Chris Brown! Two passionate instructors dedicated to nurturing and empowering our youth!

At Thrive Time, we don’t just supervise kids…
We build leaders. We build confidence. We build the next generation.

📚 What We Offer:
✅ Tutoring & Homework Help
✅ Life Skills Development
✅ Mental Health Support & Safe Debrief Space
✅ Chess Club Masters And Mentors♟️
✅ E-Sports Skills Lab 🎮
✅ Entrepreneurship Classes 💼
✅ Little Lawyers Program ⚖️
✅ In-House Creative Projects 🎨

Our mission is simple: Nurturing the youth is our number one goal!

We’re inviting all mentee members of ours and community families this week to come check us out and see how your child can THRIVE with us! This is a new staple right here in Wichita, Ks!

Reach out using the contact information below to learn how your family can get involved TODAY! Let’s continue to excel and save the next generation TOGETHER! ✨💪🏽

02/08/2026

Great engagement at the Center this week.

We’ve got to stay innovative with mental health for kids — if we expect them to sit in a chair and “just talk,” we’re going to miss them. So we build spaces where connection happens naturally through gaming, creativity, and real conversations.

Little Lawyers was a success. We discussed the Cedric Lofton case and worked through:
• emotional regulation
• respect
• emotional triggers
• being proactive vs reactive

The kids were locked in and had a lot of input — they led the discussion.

Proud of the team. Proud of these young people.

02/01/2026

At Side by Side, we believe mental health doesn’t just happen in an office.

It happens in rooms like this.
Mentors. Food. Real conversations. Brotherhood.

This is what prevention looks like.

We’re proud to support Protect Your Mind Mondays with our friends at Build and Rebuild — a life skills workshop giving teenage boys structure, guidance, and strong role models every single week.

Because when young men have a place to belong, everything changes.

Life Skills Workshop for Teenage Boys (Ages 14–18)
Build & Rebuild – 1751 N. Ash St
Mondays
5:30–7:00 PM

If you know a teen who could use mentorship, connection, and a positive circle — send them our way.

Community is mental health.
And this is how we build it… side by side.

NEXT LEVEL Just A Kid From Wichita The Pando Initiative Tony Ballard Masters Mentors JST Resiliency Services - "Still Standing. Still Caring.”

01/13/2026

🚨 FREE HOCKEY NIGHT FOR YOUTH! 🏒🔥

Side By Side and NEXT LEVEL is excited to invite youth ages 6–22 to an awesome hockey game this Friday and yes, we have 100 FREE tickets available and we want to FILL EVERY SEAT! 🙌

📍 Meet at our center: 2020 N. Woodlawn
🕔 Meet time: 5:00 PM
🕤 Return time: Around 9:30 PM

✅ Totally FREE
🍽️ Food provided at the center before we go
🚌 Transportation provided (to and from our center)
🤝 Connect with peers your age
💬 Build social skills & confidence
🎤 Build confidence & communication skills
🏒 Enjoy an exciting, high-energy hockey game!

This is a fun, safe, and positive opportunity to eat together, connect with peers, and enjoy a great game with the community! 💙

📩 DM us ASAP or give us a call! We’re working to fill every seat, so don’t wait!

Let’s show up, show out, and make this Friday night one to remember! 🏒✨

01/12/2026

Busy Monday over here.

We’re at the Center learning alongside our Botvin LifeSkills Training trainer — she flew in from New York City to get our team certified in this evidence-based curriculum for middle school, high school, and transition-age youth.

This is what we do. We don’t just “run programs.” We keep sharpening the blade, investing in our staff, and bringing in the best tools we can find so the people we serve get real, measurable support.

And yes… they even came with the good stuff — new materials, workbooks, and a stack of notepads for our team.

01/09/2026

We are truly grateful to The Pando Initiative for the opportunity to partner together. Our missions align deeply, and we believe that when organizations come together with a shared purpose, youth and families are better served. PANDO is an incredible group doing meaningful work, and we are honored to stand alongside them as partners. We look forward to starting the new year united, continuing to uplift, empower, and serve our youth. Thank you again for having us!