WEST CHESTER, PA — The YMCA of Greater Brandywine is offering free memberships to Chester County seventh graders for the 2026-27 school year and the following summer, removing membership costs as the organization expands its teen programs across the county.
The YMCA’s 7th Grade Initiative provides eligible students with complimentary youth memberships beginning the summer after sixth grade and continuing through Aug. 31 after they complete seventh grade.
More than 1,200 seventh graders participate in the program each year, according to the YMCA.
Participants can use YMCA of Greater Brandywine facilities across Chester County for swimming, fitness, sports, and other activities. They also receive reduced rates on select programs, including offerings involving creative activities and STEM.
“Seventh grade is an important milestone in teen development,” YMCA of Greater Brandywine President and CEO Bertram L. Lawson II said. “As teens discover new interests and begin to make their own decisions about how to spend their time, we want them to know that the Y is a place where they belong.”
The free memberships are part of a broader expansion of teen programming that includes Y Achievers, Y After Dark, VolunTEEN opportunities, Youth and Government, sports, fitness and employment opportunities.
The organization is adding Leaders Club at the Oscar Lasko YMCA and West Chester Area YMCA this fall. The free leadership and community-service program will meet weekly beginning in October and is open to students in grades five through 12.
The program combines leadership development, community service, and team-building activities.
“Our goal is to create pathways for youth to find connection, explore who they are, and build the skills they need for what comes next,” Senior Association Director of Teen Development Jazmyn Hudson said.
Parents and guardians can enroll eligible seventh graders online or at a YMCA of Greater Brandywine location. Information about the free membership is available at https://ymcagbw.org/7th-grade-initiative, while details on the organization’s other teen programs are available at https://ymcagbw.org/youth-development/teen-programs-ymca.
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