Lindsay Barts, left, and Abigail Cronan are serving as the director and assistant director respectively for the Rochester Summer Parks Program, which is returning this year after a five-year hiatus. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — Children may once again enjoy participating in the Rochester Summer Parks Program.

It’s returning after a five-year hiatus thanks to the Rochester Parks and Recreation Board, with Lindsay Barts serving as program director and Abigail Cronan as assistant director.

Barts previously helped with the program as a high school student.

The two women will be assisted by “about 18” Rochester Community High School students, said Barts.

The program for ages 6-12 will run from 7:45 a.m. to around noon Monday through Friday for at least three weeks starting Monday, June 10.

The program is free this year due to the park board’s decision, said Barts.

She said she and Cronan are including some elements from previous years, but have added new ones as well. This year’s theme is “Community Explorers,” said Barts.

She and Cronan are basing program activities off a free certification course through Yale University they took before meeting each other based on “the science of happiness,” said Barts.

Focuses will be on “gratitude, kindness and social connection because those are all scientifically proven to improve levels of happiness in all human beings of all ages,” said Barts.

There will be camp-type songs, read alouds and mindfulness activities.

“We’re going to participate in the summer reading program with the Fulton County Public Library,” said Barts.

Children will also go to the bowling alley and the city pool and check out Woodlawn Hospital’s StoryWalk, which has pages of a story posted at several stations.

An art project kids will be doing is painting trash cans at the city park, which has a “community service” element to it, said Barts.

Children will decorate them with messages about protecting pollinators, which are tied into the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Rochester Mayor Trent Odell signed recently aiming to protect monarch butterflies.

“There’s a lot of science behind art therapy being a good way for kids to build mindfulness, but also to help to express themselves and find their voice,” said Barts.

Children will be dropped off at the city park. They may get breakfast if they need it from the Rochester Community Schools’ free meal program.

“We are going to be encouraging kids to bring a snack,” added Barts.

Following the program’s end, she and Cronan plan to survey parents to see what changes need to be made to it.

Barts said she hopes kids in the program “have so much fun that they want to come back next year.”

“I want them singing the songs at recess,” she added.

“I like the sense of community, so that when they come back after they leave (the program), maybe they’ll see trash and realize this is where they played this summer (and) clean up after themselves,” said Cronan of what she hoped kids took away from the program. “We’re giving them group songs that multiple kids are learning so (kids may begin) to include new friends, teaching them these songs.”

Parents may learn how to sign up their children through information distributed through RCS or the Rochester branch of the Fulton County Public Library.

The deadline to sign up is the end of April, with only around 100 spots open for Rochester residents only.

Due to program being free this year, leaders need some additional funding for it, with a $5,000 grant being sought through the Northern Indiana Community Foundation “for the educational materials for the program,” said Barts.

“We’re really hoping we get it,” she said.

Program leaders are also planning a small fundraiser.