Broadway Utica YAP raffle is asking the community to help its Youth Ambassadors take their next trip to Broadway. Its 2026 YAP raffle will offer eight prizes while raising money for a New York City theater experience for local students.

In an Oct. 27 email to Full Circle members, organizer Kristen Matteson announced that online raffle sales are scheduled for Oct. 28 through Nov. 29. Tickets are $10 each, and drawings run from Nov. 30 through Dec. 10.

Disclosure: I am a member of Broadway Utica’s Full Circle program. I am sharing this fundraiser to help readers learn about the Youth Ambassador Program and the opportunities it offers local students.

Matteson said the fundraiser will help offset the cost of a planned January 9 trip to see The Lost Boys at the Palace Theatre in New York City. Each Youth Ambassador is working toward a minimum fundraising goal of $100. The official campaign lists an overall goal of $5,000.

Participating in the Broadway Utica YAP raffle not only provides an opportunity to win great prizes but also directly supports local students and arts access in our community.

What students do in YAP

The Bernadette A. Eichler Youth Ambassador Program, known as YAP, serves local high school juniors and seniors. Broadway Utica describes it as a year-long program combining the arts, leadership and community involvement. It is entering its 15th year.

Selected students receive a subscription to Broadway Utica’s 2026-2027 season at The Stanley Theatre. They also learn from cast members, crew, directors, other theater professionals and local community leaders. Writing reviews after performances and taking part in community service are part of the experience.

Those activities give students a chance to explore theater from several angles: watching a production, asking questions about the work behind it and putting their own reactions into words. The program’s stated goals include building confidence, helping students develop leadership skills and encouraging stronger ties to their community.

Bank of Utica helps sponsor YAP. The campaign says this season’s ambassadors will attend six touring Broadway productions at The Stanley and have opportunities to learn about the many jobs involved in live theater.

A trip with a record of community support

The upcoming New York City visit continues a tradition documented in Broadway Utica’s account of its April 5, 2025, trip. Nearly two dozen Youth Ambassadors traveled to the city and saw Death Becomes Her. The organization said many were visiting New York City for the first time, and some were seeing their first Broadway show there.

Broadway Utica credited community raffle support, prizes donated by local businesses and support from Bank of Utica with helping make that outing possible. That earlier trip offers a concrete example of what this kind of fundraising can support: a shared day of travel and a professional performance beyond the students’ regular season at The Stanley.

Learning that reaches beyond the theater

YAP’s community work also takes students outside an auditorium. Broadway Utica’s April 14, 2025, news update described seven Youth Ambassadors joining Matteson for Oneida County’s intergenerational spring cleanup. The group helped clean four yards for older residents.

That is one example of the service element built into the program. Students can explore their interests in the arts while also contributing time to their neighbors.

There is support for the next stage of their education, too. Senior ambassadors may be eligible for the Linda Leogrande Youth Ambassador Scholarship. The YAP website reports that the fund has awarded $9,075 since 2020.

In its 2025 scholarship announcement, Broadway Utica explained that the award honors Leogrande’s more than three decades on the organization’s board. It recognizes Youth Ambassadors for qualities including leadership, commitment and enthusiasm for the arts. The scholarship is a separate part of the program; the current raffle appeal focuses on helping with the New York City trip.

Full Circle brings generations into the conversation

Full Circle connects local older adults with Youth Ambassadors through live theater and conversation. Now in its third season, the program pairs participants with students so they can exchange stories and perspectives before performances. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield supports the program.

The gatherings take place on the second floor of The Stanley Theatre. Broadway Utica says an elevator is available, and participants should be comfortable walking short distances inside the building. People with questions about access can contact the organization.

In an Oct. 2 season-opening report, Broadway Utica said nearly 60 students and community members gathered before The Wiz. They shared a meal, learned about theater and arts history, and met one another. The organization said this season’s Youth Ambassadors represent more than 14 school districts.

That gathering brought students from different schools into the same room with adults from the wider community. The programs provide a recurring setting for those connections to grow across a season of shows. Utica Phoenix previously reported on the new YAP and Full Circle season.

The eight raffle drawings

The official 2026 flyer lists the following prizes and drawing dates:

• Nov. 30: $100 gift card for Portofino.
• Dec. 1: $100 gift card for Ancora.
• Dec. 2: $100 gift card for Crust.
• Dec. 3: $100 gift card for Tailor & the Cook.
• Dec. 7: $100 gift card for Ancora.
• Dec. 8: $100 gift card for Cliff’s Local Market.
• Dec. 9: Two tickets to The Book of Mormon.
• Dec. 10: One four-show Broadway Utica Second Act Season Subscription, including Water for Elephants, Beetlejuice, The Who’s Tommy and SIX.

Where to learn more

Broadway Utica’s announcement lists several ways to support the effort, including sharing the campaign, making a direct contribution or creating a personal fundraising page. Sharing information is one way to help even without entering the raffle.

The flyer says raffle tickets are available online, through a Youth Ambassador or by phone at 315-624-9444. Readers can visit the official YAP campaign page for the organizer’s information. Before entering, confirm eligibility, the complete rules and the sales closing time with Broadway Utica; those details were not included in the email or flyer.

Applications for the current YAP season are closed, and the Full Circle page says that program is full. Readers interested in future participation can follow the program pages or contact Kristen Matteson at Kristen@broadwayutica.org.