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AYS Receives Grants to Give Local Children a Safe, Enriching Summer
Crime rates tend to increase during the summer months. At the same time, many central Indiana children spend their summer breaks without adult supervision due to the lack of availability or affordability of high-quality summer programs. Many local foundations, aware of the need for safe places for children during summer breaks, have funded new and existing programs in the area. Three foundations have recently awarded grants to AYS, Inc. to help fund enrichment activities at several of its summer camp locations.

AYS (At Your School), known for operating before- and afterschool programs, began offering summer day camps in 1987. This year, Camp AYS will serve children in Washington Township, Decatur Township, Center Township, Noblesville, Northwest Hendricks County and North Montgomery County. AYS camps not only offer a safe haven for children in this community, but also incorporate many enrichment opportunities to help the children learn and develop over the summer months.

AYS received $2,000 from the Indianapolis Foundation and $2,500 from the Lilly Endowment through the Summer Youth Program Fund. These grants will support the 2008 AYS Summer Arts program at AYS’ Marion County camp sites, which provides children enrolled in Camp AYS with one hour of visual art and one hour of dance instruction for three days each week. The program will give campers an opportunity to study arts and cultures from around the world. Campers will learn a variety of Latin dances, such as Salsa and Mambo, and create visual arts projects from Africa, China and India. Monthly Summer Arts Celebrations will give campers an opportunity to showcase their new skills.

AYS also received a $1,600 grant from the PeyBack Foundation, which will cover the cost of swim lessons for 40 children in AYS’ Washington Township summer sites. Most AYS campers can take advantage of a weekly swim day, but formal swim lessons have not previously been offered. Through a partnership with the Riviera Club, AYS will offer swim lessons to children at the Washington Township camp sites this summer.

Posted: 5/5/08