The Farmington Family YMCA recently received funding from several local foundations for two programs that serve children in the community: Camp Riley and the Teen Camp/Counselor-in-Training program.
Camp Riley is a nine-week summer program that provides the high quality academic and social/emotional instruction that helps at-risk youth to overcome the achievement gap by preventing summer learning loss and promoting further mastery of grade level content. It provides a traditional day-camp atmosphere while infusing educational content throughout the day’s activities, via student-centered, hands-on, interactive lessons.
The Farmington Family YMCA received a $10,000 grant from Bosch to fund instructors and equipment for a robotics program. The aim is to get students excited about STEM disciplines and encourage them to continue building those skills in school.
Literacy is a key goal of Camp Riley. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation gave the Y a $3,000 grant which will allow for the purchase of six new computers for Camp Riley. Teachers will be able to access interactive literacy websites and other content to help children reinforce and grow their skills.
Camp Riley is provided at low or no cost to families, based on income. The Farmington/Farmington Hills Educational Foundation granted the Y $1,500 for scholarships and activities at Camp Riley, which primarily serves children from low-income families.
Teens will benefit from a $4,000 Farmington/Farmington Hills Foundation grant, which provides funding for teen programming in the critical middle school years. Youth ages 12-15 participate in Teen Camp, which provides a safe, structured environment for young people who might otherwise go unsupervised, and peace of mind for their parents during the summer months. Young people are encouraged to participate in a wide variety of activities that allow them to develop confidence in their abilities. Two-thirds of teen campers will receive financial assistance to be able to attend camp.
Older teens, in 10th grade and above, can join the counselor in training program. CITs mentor 5- and 6-year-olds in the day camp program, under the supervision of an older camp counselor. CIT participation develops their leadership skills and problem solving skills.
The Farmington-Farmington Hills Foundation grant will help fund fitness and enrichment classes for middle school students. The YMCA participates in a citywide after-school program, which provides activities for children during the critical 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. hours; studies indicate that young people unsupervised during these hours are considerably more likely to experiment with alcohol, drugs, sexual activity and crime. The foundation’s grant will allow the YMCA to continue offering the program at no charge.
Farmington Family YMCA executive director Laura Perlowski says the grants will allow the Y to continue providing top-quality programming for young people. “We would not be able to offer these programs without funding from community-minded organizations, and we are grateful for their support,” she says.