By Tiffany Williams
Editor
The Ponoka Youth Centre summer program has had a very successful season with an attendance of 400 youths thus far making new friends, improving social skills and having lots of fun.
Program director and summer program coordinator for the PYC Morgen Chernick is pleased with the success of the program so far and thinks it has been amazing.
“It’s hard to believe that the summer is almost over. You get to see so many different personalities,” said Chernick. “You learn so much from kids. You learn how to be young and enjoy life, you get to see things in a whole new perspective.”
The program runs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the centre from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Each day they average 30 children taking part in the activities. There are programs for children from six to 13 years of age with different activities for the younger kids and older kids.
On Wednesdays they go on a field trip. They have traveled to Ellis Bird Farm, a behind the scenes tour at the Edmonton Jubilee Theatre and the Discovery Zoo in Innisfail. They are also planning on going to the Telus World of Science, Heritage Park in Calgary, a tour of the Ponoka Stampede Grounds, a tour of Fort Ostell Museum and the Children’s Festival at the Aquaplex.
They try to incorporate different theme days into the programming including such days as Christmas in July, Wild West and Dinosaur Days.
For Chernick this is her first year running the camp and she is having a blast with the kids and thinks that with the camp the children also get to meet new children from different area schools as well.
“They get to experience new things, new people and make new friendships,” she said. “It’s a chance for the kids to get out of their house, play outside and learn a variety of new things in a safe environment.”
The last day of the camp is on Aug. 22 so there is still plenty of time to get in on the fun. Chernick says that there is still room available but some of the field trip days are full and they do have a waiting list. For more information on the programs contact the PYC at 403-783-3112.