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Riis Academy’s Summer Campers Take “A View of the World”

 

During the summer, it’s so easy to forget all of the information learned during the school year. Riis Academy’s summer camps are designed to counter summer “learning loss,” and give the youth of our community opportunities to make friends, experience new things and strengthen their academic skills. And it doesn’t hurt if you get to go on great trips too (check out our article on the teen’s trip to Denmark)! Riis Academy conducted summer camps at its Queensbridge, Ravenswood and PS 166 campuses. The theme for all summer camps was “A View of the World.”

At the Riis Academy-Queensbridge campus, participants researched each continent’s population, commodities, environment and climate using the internet. They visited local museums which allowed them to learn about different areas of the world. Riis Academy-Queensbridge’s middle-school participants worked closely with staff from LaGuardia College to learn about the ethnography of foods from around the world. Weekly trips reinforced the summer theme. Trips to the New York Hall of Science, Liberty Science Center and the Community Environmental Center EcoHouse promoted hands-on learning about the environment. An end of summer camp celebration was held on August 23rd, 2013.

Selected teens from Riis Academy Queensbridge participated in the Summer Youth Employment Program. This summer, they gained meaningful work experience and participated in workshops five hours a week which promoted skill development and work ethics. For many youth, this was their first work experience. The six weeks of educational workshops included topics such as: Time Management, Financial Literacy, Education, Career Exploration as well as applying and interviewing for a job. Work sites included: Riis Academy summer camps, Astoria Park, Culinary Kids Gardening and The Floating Hospital.  “It was a great experience,” said  Raijuan Lalande, 16, who worked as an SYEP youth at Riis Settlement. “I enjoyed going on trips with the summer camp children and helping the Group Leaders oversee the kids. In September, I am going back- to- school motivated to have a successful year. I will also be volunteering at Riis Academy-Queensbridge to gain more experience so that I can begin to build my resume, which I’ve improved through Riis Academy’s Job Readiness workshop.”

 

“My favorite trip was to the Liberty Science Center. We were able to play with the exhibits and go in the touch tunnel. The Touch Tunnel is completely dark: you have to crawl to find your way out. It is so much fun. When I go back to school, I am going to work hard to get my grades up. I am going to come back to the after-school programs here so that I can still see my friends.” – Jeremiah Beckwith (12)

At P.S. 166 Riis Academy participants worked on projects with the Magic School Bus and used the New York Hall of Science C3 Collect curriculum. The children explored cultures and customs around the world based on the “A View of the World” theme and completed community service projects. They also attended several field trips including trips to Lake Compounce and Hershey Park. The P.S. 166 art show was held on August 20th and an End of Summer celebration took place on August 22nd.

At Riis Academy-Ravenswood, the after-school program participants attended weekly art workshops at Socrates Park. They went to the Bronx Zoo, a Yankees game in Staten Island and on exciting field trips to local museums.

Students participated in BOYS and GIRL gender-specific programming (for 11-14 year old middle-school youth), Teen Action/Service Learning, Creative Art and Recreation (boys and girls basketball teams) and more. They also took part in Riis Academy’s Hydroponic Gardening program and participated in the intergenerational Community Garden project at the Queensbridge center.

Back to School!

In the fall, Riis Academy’s after-school programming will focus on academic support through homework assistance and tutoring along with various enrichment activities including literacy, the arts, physical recreation and STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics).  Help us have the greatest school year ever, click here to support our programs!

 

 

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