- Spring break at Boys & Girls Club gives kids a place to
have fun while parents work
BY NATHAN WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
They dyed their hair. They showed up in their pajamas. They
created art, played sports, and attended a carnival.
The Boys & Girls Club of Windsor hosted an Early Bird Spring
Program last week during spring break, offering an extended program
for students who needed something to do on the week-long
vacation.
“We started it because we knew that parents needed a place to
send their kids,” said Program Director Anne Crawford. “This is a
really good place to have your child go for spring break.”
The club’s week-long program included sports day on Monday,
pajama day on Tuesday, crazy hair day on Wednesday, arts day on
Thursday, and festival day on Friday. “We really wanted to have fun
with the kids this week,” Crawford said.
Until this week, sixth-grader Jeffrey Pearson had never dyed his
hair. He was given the opportunity on “crazy hair” day, and he took
full advantage of it.
“I think the event is cool,” he said. “It’s not every day that
we get to dye our hair.” Pearson said that his mother wouldn’t let
him dye his hair at home. His mother will be happy to know that the
hair dye the club used washes out.
Stephanie Rogers, another sixth-grader at Windsor Middle School,
also enjoyed the hair activity. “It was a blast,” she said. “We got
to do our hair all crazy.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Windsor currently has a waiting
list of 150 children, but it opens up its registration on both
spring break and summer vacation. During the two school vacations,
the club expands its hours from 2:30 to 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
allowing parents to place their children in day-long
supervision.
During the nine-month school year, members of the club are
required to pay a $50 registration fee to attend the after-school
program. During spring break and the summer session, members pay an
additional $10 per day to take part in the 11-hour program,
allowing the club to pay for additional staff, activities and
breakfast.
“The philosophy of the Boys & Girls Club is that it’s
affordable,” said Crawford. “We want to provide a service for the
people of Windsor.”
The Club has already filled half of its 100 summer spots, and is
currently looking for more families who are interested in the
program. The $10 charge only applies if a child attends a day at
the club, allowing parents to avoid charges if their children are
busy elsewhere during the week.
Club members are able to take advantage of a variety of
facilities that are aimed at both education and entertainment. In
the club’s computer room, Life Skills and Technology Director Jenni
Pate introduces students to computers and the Internet. “I’m trying
to mix education in with fun activities,” she said. Along with
games and web surfing, Pate introduces students to the SMART
(skills mastery and resistance training) Moves program, which
includes drug and alcohol education.
The club has a game room, which hosts weekly tournaments. In the
learning center, a program funded by the United Way, students are
given a quiet environment in which to do their homework. If they
complete it, and do it correctly, they earn points that are good
for prizes.
To make reservations for your child for the Boys & Girls
Club of Windsor’s summer program, call 838-1959. Spaces are
limited.
