By Bonnie Culverhouse
Let’s face it, boredom is not a kid’s best friend. Summer months can be difficult for them and their parents or guardians.
Ron Anderson, executive director of Project Reclaim, has a solution that will keep kids busy and learning even though it’s not a school situation.
Anderson knows that if his program is “just like school, they’re not coming.”
But at the same time, he wants them to learn.
“We’re going to have a very vibrant summer program this year,” he said.
Anderson said he expects 50 to 60 kids to show up.
From June 4 until July 25, youngsters first grade and up can attend Project Reclaim from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
With the help of Program Assistant Aide Zaria Stephens and volunteers, “Summer of the Stars” has scheduled a number of activities guaranteed to be so interesting, the kids may not realize they are learning.
Tuesdays will consist of life skills, as well as, Project Reclaim TV where the students learn about interview techniques, script writing and equipment.
At noon, they will try their hands at Project Reclaim TV Live with the goal to have their own YouTube Channel.
Lunch is served at noon, then there is clean up and dismissal.
Thursday’s schedule has educational activities in the morning, lunch at noon, *Ascend Math, clean up and dismissal.
“From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesdays we will bring in our youth aides (high schoolers) and older participants to do some work with Dr. Joe Bolger,” Anderson said. “We’re always looking for something innovative, and he’s agreed to volunteer with us. We’re always looking for something that’s new on the horizon to make our students aware of and our parents, as well.”
According to Anderson, Bolger, a retired family medicine physician from Minden, is interested in Artificial Intelligence (AI). He plans to introduce the students to that concept, and what it will mean to their lives.
“Also, he (Bolger) wants to introduce our kids to computer literacy,” Anderson said. “We all use computers – and we’re good at the application and utilization – but we don’t know how a computer works.”
The plan is on Wednesdays for Bolger, a long time Project Reclaim supporter, to bring some computers, wrenches and screwdrivers and allow the older kids take them apart.
But it’s also a “work” opportunity for the teens.
“We pay them, but we expect them to work,” Anderson said. “We have filing that needs to be done, updates to our building. Then they will help with the younger kids Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
Project Reclaim, with some financial aid, has invested in a ceiling camera that projects games on the floor in a big room. It has more than 300 virtual learning games on it, as well as games that allow the kids to work off a little extra energy.
“They have to earn the right to play,” Anderson said. “They have to participate in our schedule and have a good attitude about it.”
Anderson also has plenty of opportunities for parents, guardians and potential volunteers to learn about the program. He feels it is essential for them to know what the kids are doing when they attend – what they are learning and how they are learning it.
“This is like a club,” he said. “We’re a family. The kids feel like they are a part of something and they really want to be here. If they have no place to go where they feel like members, they will go to a gang.”
When those who have attended in the past were asked what they like about the program, in typical kid fashion they said “games and snacks.”
When asked what they dislike about the program, they said, “leaving.”
* To learn more about Project Reclaim and Summer of the Stars, visit http://www.prstars.org. To learn about Ascend Math, visit www.ascendmath.com .
