Aurora, IL – September 5, 2012 – As the days get cooler and the nights get longer, we look back at another fun and educational year of summer programming at the Aurora Township Youth and Community Center. The eleven weeks of summer youth programs began June 4th with local youth ages 7 to 17 participating in physical activities like aerobics, basketball, and soccer and creative activities like
arts and crafts projects and workshops on puppeteering and performing arts.
We also hosted an eight-week day camp where youth ages 6 to 12 explored the past on trips to the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry, gazed into the universe at the Adler Planetarium, and investigated the ecosphere on field trips to Kane County’s forest preserves, Garfield Conservatory in Chicago, and Starved Rock State Park in Utica. Youth also participated in the Aurora Public Library’s
summer reading challenge by reading for 30 minutes every day.
Aurora Township partnered with Next Level Foundation to provide soccer camps to 247 youth under 7 year-olds to high school levels. Another 2 week soccer camp was held in partnership with East Aurora School District for 3rd through 5th graders in which 62 youth participated in. The camps focused on skills and drills, sportsmanship, and team building exercises. Our summer soccer league saw 66 teams
compete in age rages from U7 through high school. Teams participated every Saturday for 21 weeks and had an end of the year tournament where they competed against each other for bragging rights and team medals.
Between June 4th and August 18th, we served over 11,500 breakfasts and over 24,600 lunches at twentyone day camp sites as part of a summer food service program through the USDA. Over 75% of our summer camp participants were eligible for the free or reduced lunch program during the school year, so our food service program provided a nutritious meal to local youth throughout the summer months.
The summer programs had to come to an end, but not before our grand finale: a fun-filled field day and bar-b-que luncheon with food, water balloon toss, pie-throwing contest, elephant bowling, and the breaking of piñatas. Our dedicated youth department staff let out a collective sigh of relief as they reflected on another exhilarating year of summer programming at Aurora Township Youth and Community Center.
