The YWCA of Western New York is changing things up this summer. In response to a demand for more summer programming and activities for girls, especially during the summer months, they are offering their first, and hopefully annual, summer camp for girls, which will run for six weeks beginning July 12th.
“All of our teen programs have [traditionally] come to an end at the end of the school year. Coupled with that and what we continually hear from the community– that services for girls are lacking– we wanted to focus on doing something for the girls,” said Deborah Lynn Williams, CEO of the local YWCA chapter.
The camp, which will run Monday through Thursdays from 12-4, is intended for girls between the ages of 10-13, is free to participants and will be offered at both YWCA locations (the JFK Community Center on Hickory Street and the School House Commons on Grant Street).
The camp will focus on curriculum materials from Girls Inc. (a national education and advocacy organization that partners with the YWCA) and will include courses on financial literacy (how to count money, save money, invest, budget, and donate among other topics), media literacy (exploring and critiquing a variety of media for obvious and hidden messages and how those messages impact self esteem), and internet safety .
Also, in response to past shortages of women entering professional fields related to science, math and technology, Girls Inc. has developed course material in these areas to pique the interest and excitement of girls around these topics. Some of that coursework will be integrated into the summer camp as well.
The classroom style discussion will be combined with a number of field trips and outdoor activities. The YWCA has joined with the Willie “Hutch” Sports clinic to provide a number of sports related clinics and activities and has also planned field trips with groups such as the Open Air Bus tours, where the girls will learn about the history of Buffalo by participating in a historical tour of Buffalo on an open air bus.
Staff members at the YWCA are still solidifying the curriculum and field trip schedules. They are working to create relationships with many local non-profits and to utilize and connect participants to as many of Buffalo’s natural resources and organizations as possible.
“We want to take advantage of the assets we have right here,” Williams said. “We’re hoping to take a trip to the waterfront and a number of other places that we are still working on.”
For more information on the camp or for registration contact Osa Amadasu at (716) 332-3633 ext. 302 or visit their website at ywca-wny.org.