With the 2017-2018 school year coming to an end, parents may be looking for summer activities around the city for their children to get involved in. Many places are offering programs that are fun while also educationally enriching. Here’s a short list of activities for children during summer break.
The 100 Black Men of Indianapolis will host their annual summer academy. Though on-time sign-ups for the academy have been completed since June 1, there are still late registration spots for the school-structured academy that enriches the mind in more ways than traditional schoolwork. The camp begins June 13 and ends July 20, is $225 for the summer and you can register late on-site at IPS School 74.
“Our summer academy has been a success for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade,” director Ontay Johnson said. “While our camp is similar to school we supplement things such as music lessons, art classes and African-American history that the kids don’t traditionally learn during their school year.”
The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis offers a variety of summer day camps over the break to provide a place for children to enjoy themselves while learning. Camp dates vary throughout the summer, depending on the specific camp. The summer camp season officially ends Aug. 24.
Through organized activities and play, YMCA camp counselors will provide campers with experiences to not only challenge their minds, but strengthen their bodies as well. Youth will have the opportunity to make new friends and take part in new activities that help stimulate a healthy lifestyle, instill self-confidence and inspire leadership.
For older students who may not be the “camper” age, the city of Indianapolis introduced a program for working-age teens to find jobs around town for the summer and beyond. Project Indy is a program instituted with the help of Mayor Joe Hogsett to assist teens and young adults ages 16-24 get job experience that help their resumes for the future.
Besides a paycheck, participants gain soft-skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills that will help them succeed in their future careers.
“Project Indy aims to uplift our entire community, and to do so, we must involve the entire community,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said. “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it will take a city to develop our workforce. With an emphasis on work experience and skill development, young adults, community leaders, and employers can all play a part in this effort and the first step is as simple as signing up!”
A snap shot of summer programs around town:
100 Black Men of Indianapolis
100blackmenindy.org
317-921-1276
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis
bgcindy.org
317-920-4700
Center For Leadership Development (CLD)
cldinc.org
317-923-8111
Christamore House
christamorehouse.org
317-635-7211
Project Indy
Projectindy.net or jobreadyindy.org
YMCA
indymca.org
Or, contact your neighborhood YMCA
