20 Jan Intentional Fun
Family Nights at Denełchin Lab open a door to additional services at CITC
The unofficial motto of CITC’s Denełchin Lab is “building dreams into reality.” The lab—equipped with technology like vinyl printers, laser cutters, and robotic routers—is a place where kids and community members alike can create and construct just about anything they imagine.
At a meeting of the Youth Education Activities Committee, Denełchin Lab does a different kind of dreaming. The list of ideas covers everything from a movie night to sledding at Russian Jack, a back-to-school celebration to spooky fun at a Halloween party.
Last year, each of these ideas became reality with the Denełchin Lab’s monthly Family Nights, a series of opportunities for kids and their parents or guardians to check out the facility, learn about CITC programs—and have a ton of fun while doing it.
“Family Nights give us a chance to connect on a personal level. It’s not just about engaging and having fun; it’s also that we want to build a community,” said Brandon Oates, the lab’s Youth Education outreach and project coordinator.
Fun for the Whole Family
At last year’s Halloween Family Night, the lab was “packed to the brim,” Brandon added.
“You’d be walking shoulder to shoulder throughout the whole lab, and there was a huge range of kids, from five years old to high schoolers.”
Every Family Night offers kid-friendly activities, food, raffles, and opportunities to explore. At the Halloween night, lab staff set up a “paint splatter” room, where visitors could “go crazy” throwing paint at a huge canvas to create a work of art, Brandon described. There was also a quiet room, games, pumpkin decorating, face-painting, a cake-walk, and more.
Other Family Nights are focused on a single activity, like Movie Night. Some involve meeting up for an outing, like December’s “Winter Rush,” where families went sledding and enjoyed s’mores and hot chocolate at Russian Jack Park.
Introducing Denełchin
The Denełchin Lab, which opened in 2023 just off of Muldoon Road, is still new enough that plenty of CITC program participants haven’t had the chance to check it out yet. Family Nights are an opportunity for people to explore the new space.
“We want people to know that we’re here and that we try to do what we can to make our everyday just a little better,” Brandon said.
While the emphasis at the lab is on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) technology, Denełchin offers so much more for students, their families, and the community. Entrepreneurship programs bring community members into the labs to develop their businesses, while community classes invite anyone to try their hand at resin pouring, T-shirt printing, and more.
Creating Connections
Last November, Brandon recalled, one family showed up for that month’s Family Night, which was themed around Thanksgiving. Attendees were given turkeys with all the fixings, including utensils.
“One of the families had a very emotional reaction because they said if they weren’t a part of this event, they wouldn’t have been able to have a Thanksgiving meal,” Brandon said. “That’s why we have these events—to bring our community together and see how we can serve the people we work for.”
At most Family Nights, staff from other CITC programs are available to highlight additional services families might be interested in—not just youth-oriented programs, but services that support the entire family. CITC also invites individuals at the events to take a brief survey, which provides feedback on how we can better meet the needs of the people we serve.
“It’s an opportunity to connect people to resources,” Brandon said. “We answer questions, provide the survey. At Family Night, everyone’s there to have fun, but there’s also an intention behind it.”
Up Next
The staff at Denełchin Lab plan to offer Family Nights once a month throughout 2025, though some months will see the event paired with other CITC events, like the statewide NYO Games in April or the annual Family Holiday Celebration in December.
At Family Movie Night in January, participants will enjoy a family-friendly film and a make-your-own-popcorn bar with fun extras, like gummy bears and chocolate bits. Also in the works is a family game night with both board games and video games.
Other events will range from themed nights to culturally-focused activities; some will take place at Denełchin Lab, while others will take place off site.
For a complete calendar of events, visit citci.org/calendar. Some Family Nights are open to all, while others are specifically for families already enrolled with CITC or with our Youth Education programs. Inquire with the Youth Education department for details.
