Located at 146 Sayles Street, Woonsocket, the Art Center summer youth program provides kindergartners through fifth graders a full-day of fun, educational programming. And this year, it all happens in a beautifully renovated facility. The program is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. during the summer and 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. during the school year.
We’re focusing on being an out-of-school program that supports students’ learning in an academic sense, but also with a deeper social, emotional component,” shares Katie Owens, the site coordinator for the Woonsocket-based youth program.
The summer themes for this year are “healthy minds, healthy bodies,” encouraging mental and physical well-being, and “me and my community,” which will help students feel connected to the Woonsocket community.
Owens states that many students have participated in the Art Center in the past, particularly during the academic year when there is an after-school youth program. This summer, the Art Center has been renovated to better support student learning and play. Upgrades include a fresh coat of paint, new floors, and a Woonsocket mural in the corner of the classroom! With the start of the summer session in the newly renovated Art Center, Owens has big plans:
We at NeighborWorks want to empower the strengths that are already here in the community. And a good strategy to do that is to help people identify those strengths in themselves.”
Owens continues, sharing that she wants the program to be an environment where students can be themselves and flourish as people. That way, they can become their most confident selves and carry that with them as they get older. Owens believes that the confidence of our youth is fundamental to the well-being of the community.
During the program, students will participate in several educational and interest-based activities while building relationships with other students. The activities for the program are based on S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) activities that fit each student’s relevant age group and interests. In the mornings, students will have 20-minutes of independent reading every day through the application “i-Ready,” which is part of their summer academic program.
Two other activities in the program include neighborhood iSpy walks and earth science walks, which guide students in identifying the elements – scientific or non-scientific – that make up their Woonsocket community. One of the projects Owens is particularly excited about is a personal history project, where students will research their family history and will have the chance to present to their peers and mentors!
Your personal history and family history become the mosaic of a community.”
The Woonsocket Art Center has served the Woonsocket community for many years and will continue to evolve to serve the needs of the community. Owens adds;
This is a place where you can bring your children and you can be confident that they’re going to have a safe and engaging learning environment.”
The Art Center is now enrolling students. Register Today.
