Elementary Highlight: End of the School Year and Summer Activities

This year, our Achievers enjoyed taking boxing lessons and engaging in Circus Arts Classes. Some of them attended a class at Commonwealth Circus Center in Jamaica Plain and learned all things circus. They improved their acrobatic skills, learned moves on the trapeze and silks, did balancing activities, and learned how to juggle. Two of our youth did so well in class, they were able to join C3’s circus troupe!

Professional sports games are always a hit outing for our youth. Some of our Achievers were able to attend a Revolution soccer game, Patriot’s games, and Red Sox games with their mentors. Our org-wide events are always enjoyed by the elementary youth. At our Gingerbread event, Achievers rode buses out to Gillette Stadium and built gingerbread houses, danced, and played games. We also hosted a virtual Halloween party. Achievers were encouraged to wear their costumes, mentors dropped candy off to their houses, and staff and families played Halloween related games and watched a movie. The Back to School Bash and End of the Year celebration are always great ways to start and end the school year. Families join us in playing games, having food, and engaging with their mentors and staff.

This summer we will be hosting several group outings for the Elementary cohort. We have a science group where Achievers will complete various science experiments with their mentors, including making Ooblek, an egg drop, and building their own kites to fly outside. We will be expanding on our annual lemonade stand to create a marketplace for Achievers to sell their artwork, homemade bracelets, and lemonade. During this group, Achievers will learn what it takes to run their own business and create their own products to sell. We will also be continuing our boxing lessons and circus arts classes throughout the summer.

Our summer program benefits our Achievers in a few ways. It creates opportunities for Achievers to meet other kids in the program that they don’t typically interact with which helps create new friendships within the program. It also helps keep kids engaged and aims to prevent regression that some of our youth experience from being out of school. We have some Achievers who do not attend summer camp or Extended School year, so having group options for kids to tap into creates spaces to get out of the house, engage with others, and learn something new.