By Sam Cavalcanti, YDP
On Saturday, May 14, we held our Annual Youth Summit at our main site, where children and teens from all of our branches gathered to fraternize and enjoy a day full of enriching activities. The event was coordinated by our leading staff for the SMART Girls and Passport to Manhood programs, which are dynamic character-building programs run across the Boys and Girls Clubs of America nationwide. The Summit, like the aforementioned programs, encompassed a plethora of skill-building and playful endeavors, available to all of our members at no additional charge.
The morning started with a beloved classic– tie-dye. The kids painted and decorated shirts that doubled as gifts that they all took home at the end of the afternoon. Then, they went on to the Career Path Dash, where dozens of volunteers from a variety of fields, from finance to fitness, shared their expertise at tables of our most curious members. After a delicious lunch (who doesn’t like taco bowls?), the youth rotated between four hubs, where they exercised in relay races, expressed themselves in journals and watercolors, engaged in healthy habits with custom smoothies, and engineered solutions with STEM games.
It was my first time taking part in the yearly Summit, and it was my pleasure to spend the day surrounded by smiling faces and an active learning environment. The celebration was a success, and we hope to continue to foster that growth and merriment as we wrap up our Spring session and delve into Summer Camp, which you can sign up for here!
