Although this summer looked different than most, more than 100 Boston youth still had the opportunity to experience the outdoors with Youth Enrichment Services (YES). Youth and teens explored new sportsbased activities, developed self-confidence, gained leadership skills, and created new friendships. Read more about our modified summer programs below.
YES is fortunate to have had the opportunity to safely get outside and active with our youth this summer by following COVID-19 guidelines from the State Department of Public Health. Programs were modified to meet these requirements and include: logging visitors for contact tracing; logging as well as increasing the cleaning and sanitation of the building and equipment; administering health checks for participants, staff, and volunteers; eliminating the use of vans for program transportation; requiring masks; practicing social distancing; and reducing group size and numbers served.
Outdoor Adventure
Youth ages 9 – 12 had experiences that helped them find adventure in different ways, become curious about the world around them, and understand themselves and those around them better. Activities included Geocaching, gardening, field games, and more.
Track & Field Program
Youth ages 9 – 13 tried new activities and challenges and experienced the complete realm of track and field: running, throwing, and jumping. Consistent small groups were led by adult and teen coaches at Moakley Park’s Saunders Stadium (South Boston) and English High School (Jamaica Plain).
Leadership Corps
Leadership Corps is a program in which teens develop their leadership potential as they participate in outdoor activities. Due to COVID-19 the program was held entirely virtually this year and featured leadership development workshops, fun virtual workouts/activities, and weekly challenges to get teens outside and moving.
Summer Teen Staff
Every year, YES provides meaningful employment to teens in Boston. This year, our usual summer teen staff leaders worked a hybrid schedule, which included working from home. The teens spent this remote time engaging in professional development workshops, participating in online workouts, and completing several projects which culminated in the creation of the Leadership Corps site, a teen resource hub for YES teens. Click here to visit the youth-developed website.
Family Adventure Sessions
This summer, YES introduced new Family Adventure Sessions for families to get outdoors and active together. Activities included paddling, rock climbing, and biking with YES’s expert instructors.
See more photos from this summer in the Outdoor Adventure Facebook album!