THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606260124
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: Janie Bryant
LENGTH: 62 lines
THE THEME for this summer's Parks and Recreation program is ``Youth Achieving Excellence through Recreation.''
Weekly themes at the traditional playground sites range from fitness and nature to careers and old-fashioned games and storytelling.
Sites include Churchland Middle School, Cradock Recreation Center and Swanson Homes, Washington Park and Jeffry Wilson centers.
The programs are offered to children ages 6 to 13, except at Jeffry Wilson, which offers programs to children 4 to 10.
Bus transportation will be available in the Churchland area.
Other summer programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department include:
Cavalier Manor's pool opens for the summer Saturday.
Open pool time will be available at the Neighborhood Facility and Cavalier Manor pools from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
The cost is 75 cents for children up to age 12 and $1 for those 13 and older.
A therapeutic recreation program for young people who are physically or mentally challenged will be offered in three two-week sessions, July 10 through Aug. 16.
The program meets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at City Park and is designed to improve leisure skills, socialization, and the intellectual and physical development of participants.
For more information, call 465-2937 between 9 and 11 a.m. weekdays.
An Arts and Entertainment Youth Entertainment Theater will be offered at J.E. Parker Recreation Center and I.C. Norcom High School.
Participants, ages 10 to 17, meet in the morning at the recreation center and are bused at lunchtime to Norcom.
The program includes everything from sports and games to dance and drama.
Evening fun centers will be offered to teenagers, 15 to 19, from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at Cavalier Manor and the Neighborhood Facility.
Activities range from gymnasium sports to table tennis and billiards.
Roving recreation counselors will take equipment and supplies on a weekly schedule to these sites:
Biltmore Commons apartment complex, Brighton Elementary School, Parkview Elementary School playground, Mount Vernon Avenue playground, Eighth and Jefferson streets playground and Victory Gardens Apartments.
Three special Fun 'N' Sun Youth Against Drugs events will be held during the summer.
Dates have not been set, but a citywide horseshoes competition will be held in July at City Park. Also in July, a Generations Jamboree will be held at the park.
The Jamboree will allow people of all ages an opportunity to bridge the gap through a variety of sports and games.
The third Youth Against Drugs event will be an Adventure and Arts Festival at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at Norcom High School. The festival will include a pageant, drama, dance and music.
A portable hoops program and a community sports athletic and fitness program for youths and adults will be taken to various community centers and playgrounds on a rotating basic.
For more information on that schedule or other programs, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 393-8481. by CNB