EPRC’s Peet addresses Elkins Rotary Club
Trending
Owen Peet, youth development coordinator for the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission, visited the Rotary Club of Elkins to inform the group about two EPRC programs, the Engage after-school program and the upcoming Summer Program.
Peet joined EPRC post-COVID at a time when there was a great need.
"During COVID, a lot of kids and parents in our community created this new lifestyle of being home and breaking kids of that habit was difficult for parents. It was difficult to get them reengaged and re-socialized with their fellow peers," Peet said.
The Engage program is available during the school year from 3 p.m. through 6 p.m. It is open to all middle school students and operates on all days when school is open. The students can participate in gaming such as air hockey and video games. Indoor and outdoor athletic areas are available for basketball, tennis and many other activities.
Art experiences are also available so students can express their artistic sides and academic mentoring and study spaces are also available.
"This program is designed to give kids something they don't necessarily get at school, and I think that is proper social engagement with each other where they can learn from it. They can talk with each other and there are other people there who can help them understand how they interact and to make each other better," added Peet.
"A lot of kids, especially middle schoolers, don't think about their actions and don't think about how those things reflect on them. It's important to know what's needed to make better connections with peers."
Davis & Elkins College students participate in the Engage program to act as mentors for the participating students.
"Having more of that big brother/sister -- little brother/sister program creates a stronger bond than if there were teachers providing this service," Peet said. "They were in the students' spots not took long ago, know how it feels and this is how they can help out."
A major component of EPRC programming is to have kids be actively engaged. All are encouraged to participate in games and to always try new things and open their minds. During the winter, Engage Late Night is offered once a month. This program extends the Friday session from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and allows parents a little more free time.
"We do a kid version of 'Fear Factor,' we work with different sports such as golf, we do cooking classes and we do risk behavior Bingo. We focus on kids being interactive and engaged," Peet said.
The EPRC summer program will begin on June 13 and conclude on July 29. This program is free, including meals, and is available to students kindergarten through sixth grade. The students meet at either Elkins City Park or, on rainy days, at the Phil Gainer Community Center, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Attendance is not mandatory and children can enroll at any point during the summer.
"This program has a lot of history with this community, being around for a long time. I constantly get folks coming up to me and saying 'hey, I remember when I was a kid and we were over here at Glendale,'" Peet said. "My main objective was to take a big summer program that kids would go to in a larger city and minimize it to a smaller experience that we could do here in our community."
The Summer Program includes visits to the YMCA pool and other facilities, scheduled hikes and art activities similar to what can be found in the larger programs.
"We have hanging ropes courses, water days, slip-n-slides, those kinds of activities. No where else in West Virginia has something close to what we have as far as having something free in our community where kids will have amazing experiences they won't be able to get anyplace else," Peet said.
There are a number of other programs available to the community. During the winter, there is a free open family gym at the Phil Gainer Center. There have also been pumpkin carving and bike classes for younger kids sponsored by Joey's Bike Shop.
Peet noted that he is always looking to partner with local businesses and organizations to co-sponsor activities. Currently, the Arts Center, Ceramics with Class and the YMCA work with EPRC to offer programming to the local kids.
To learn more about these programs or to offer assistance with EPRC programs, Peet can be reached at 304-642-8680 or opeet@cityofelkinswv.com; EPRC can be followed on Facebook at "Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission."
Information about more programs of the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission can also be found at the City of Elkins website, www.cityofelkinswv.com (Community/Parks & Recreation).
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves.
Visit www.Rotary.org to learn more about Rotary International, visit the club's Facebook page -- Rotary Club of Elkins -- or contact club president Kristie Vandevander at k_ware@yahoo.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Elkins.