A summer full of activities
When I first met Tamera Allen at Newcastle High School, I was immediately impressed with her zeal for the Summer Recreation 2019 program and toward the youth of Newcastle. Partnered with the Newcastle Recreation Board with a grant from 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CCLC), they offer a wide variety of programs for kids during the summer.
Tamera is hopeful that the more than 200 participants will have their lives enhanced creatively, physically, and mentally as they participate in classes ranging from art to science, from life skills to sports, and a bit of everything in between. It is quite a diverse collection of topics and activities that are available and should have something for everyone. Tamera believes that these activities will help students by instilling not only the sense of personal accomplishment, but the values of competition, creativity, and even selfless values that can be had from dog walking, or learning about Black Hills wildlife. One of the classes I’m looking forward to attending is the Raging Reptiles class followed up later by a trip to the Reptile Gardens.
If your child has a creative side, there are going to be plenty of classes suited to them ranging from Canvas Art to Wood Burning, to Charm Bracelets. For those interested in the more active lifestyle, there will be plenty of sports-related activities like soccer, fishing, even basketball. There will be plenty of competitive activities, according to the Summer Rec schedules that can be picked up at the News Letter Journal. One I’ve always enjoyed watching is the pine box derby, where kids will be able to design, craft, and race their very own derby cars.
For Tamera, the highlight has to be the water fight. Apparently, any adult who attends that one becomes an instant target to get soaked, so an extra set of clothes might be in order. I think Tamera, herself, is looking forward to beaning me with a water balloon or two.
A new thing this year is the push to have some of these projects shown at the Weston County Fair. She feels that this will bring out an even greater sense of accomplishment with the kids, and I couldn’t agree more. The opportunities for achievement, competition, and creative activity, she believes, can only help with their grades, improve self-esteem, and with classes like cooking or sewing and quilt-making can give them life skills that will only further help them at home. And those life skills, I think, are sadly lacking in many of the youth in our country. These skills can only help them to better adjust to life once they are out of the academic and in the workplace since so many of these skills transfer easily to the job place and even the home itself.
All these classes have an open door policy for the parents to be able to see, first hand, what their children are participating in and learning. With plenty of help from teachers, coaches, even the community’s day care centers, Mrs. Allen wants to thank everyone for their continuing support. She thoroughly enjoys this collaboration and feels that everyone involved can take pride in the furtherance and enhancement of the educational growth, inspiring creativity, and physical training our youth will receive through these activities. That help keeps the students interested, and invested at heart, by providing opportunities in some areas that they might otherwise not have.
The activities start on June 10 and go through Aug. 2. For registration or any questions, contact Tamera Allen at (307) 746-6813.