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SUMMER WILL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, SO IF YOU
ARE THE PARENT OF SCHOOL-AGED KIDS OR TEENS, NOW IS THE TIME
TO BE THINKING AHEAD TO SUMMER ACTIVITIES.
SUMMER CAMP IS A GREAT ESCAPE FOR THE KIDS AND A GREAT RELIEF
FOR MOMS AND DADS. DEBBIE DICKERSON IS A RECREATION
SUPERVISOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION, PARKS AND OPEN
SPACES FOR THE CITY OF NORFOLK AND SHE'S GOING TO BRING US THE
LATEST ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN SUMMER CAMP FOR NORFOLK KIDS.
WE HAVE QUITE A BIT GOING ON. SHE'S BEEN FILLING ME IN AND I'M
LIKE, WOW, I HAD NO IDEA AND A LOT OF KIDS GET INVOLVED IN IT.
REGISTRATION IS COMING UP OR ALMOST HERE OR IMMINENT, SO THIS
IS A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW. >> Debbie: WELL, THANK YOU.
>> Jan: YOU HAVE CAMPS FOR KIDS? >> Debbie: WE HAVE THREE CAMPS
FOR CHILDREN AGE 5 TO 12, AND ONE CAMP FOR TEENAGERS 13
THROUGH 16. >> Jan: OKAY, SO PARENTS LISTEN
UP. WE HAVE THREE CAMPS FOR KIDS
THAT ARE 8:00 TO 12:00. >> Debbie: FOR WORKING PARENTS,
WE HAVE CAMP WAKE-UP AND CHILDREN COME AS EARLY AS 6:30
IN THE MORNING AND THEY STAY UNTIL 6:00 IN THE EVENING.
FOR THE TEENAGERS, OUR TEENAGE CAMP WAS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE
NEED FOR WORKING PARENTS TO HAVE SOME PLACE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO
GO, AND SO THE TEEN CAMP IS, LIKE I SAID, AN OUTGROWTH OF THE
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. >> Jan: OKAY.
>> Debbie: BUT THEY DON'T START AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING.
TEENAGERS DON'T GET UP THAT EARLY, I DON'T THINK.
>> Jan: NO, I GUESS YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
>> Debbie: SO THEIR CAMP IS FROM 10:00 TO 4:00, BUT THEY CAN COME
TO THE CENTER AS EARLY AS 8:30 IN THE MORNING, SO IF THEIR
PARENTS GO TO WORK, THEY CAN COME AT 8:30 AND STAY UNTIL
5:30, SO ESSENTIALLY THE WHOLE DAY, BUT WE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY
FROM 10:00 TO 4:00. >> Jan: THAT HAS TO BE A
WONDERFUL FLEXIBILITY TO OFFER THE PARENTS WHO DO WORK BECAUSE
HAVING YOUR TEEN KIND OF ON THEIR OWN DURING THE SUMMER
MONTHS IS NOT ALWAYS A COMFORTABLE PROPOSITION.
>> Debbie: YEAH, ESPECIALLY FOR, YOU KNOW -- WELL, THE VERY YOUNG
TEENAGERS THAT CAN'T DRIVE YET, THEY CAN'T WORK, AS OPPOSED TO
ONCE YOU TURN 16 AND THEN YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, START DRIVING AND
GET AROUND AND FIND A JOB. >> Jan: FIND A JOB AND FIND A
JOB. YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
THIS IS A, AS YOU SAID, AN OUTGROWTH OF SOMETHING ELSE, SO
THIS IS -- I KNOW YOU'RE STILL WORKING OUT SOME OF THE FINER
DETAILS ON THIS, BUT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
>> Debbie: YEAH, THE CAMPS ARE STRUCTURED WITH THE SAME
FRAMEWORK AS THE YOUNGER CAMPS ARE.
WE HAVE TRIPS PLANNED FOR MOST OF THE SUMMER AND THEY WILL
GO -- WE'LL TAKE THEM FOR INSTANCE TO COLLEGES SO THEY CAN
START THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GOING TO COLLEGE AND THEN, OF
COURSE, WE DO CULTURAL ACTIVITIES WITH THEM AS WELL FOR
THE TRIPS. >> Jan: OKAY.
>> Debbie: FOR PARENTS, FOR CHILDREN WHO DON'T NEED TO HAVE
CARE FROM 6:30 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 6:00 IN THE EVENING, WE
HAVE GET OUT AND PLAY. THAT'S AT MOST OF OUR RECREATION
CENTERS AND THAT'S 8:30 TO 5:30, I THINK IT IS, AND -- YES, 8:30
TO 5:30, AND WE DO EVERYTHING FROM A TO Z.
BOTH AT CAMP WAKE-UP AND GETS OUT AND PLAY.
>> Jan: OKAY, WHAT'S -- WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY LETTER
OF THE ALPHABET, BUT THERE IS A LOT, A VARIETY IN THESE CAMPS.
>> Debbie: WE DO. WE DO ALL KINDS OF ARTS
PROGRAMMING. I THINK -- I THINK OUR
PROGRAMMING GROWS OUT OF THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF STAFF THAT WE
HAVE. WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING FOR
THE DEPARTMENT, I HAD AN ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYBODY WAS A
RECREATION MAJOR, AND WHEN I STARTED TALKING AND GETTING TO
KNOW STAFF, I FOUND OUT THAT WE HAD EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS,
WE HAD PEOPLE IN KINESIOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND
MYSELF, VISUAL ARTS. WE HAD MUSICIANS, AND SO THE
CAMP PROGRAMS, ALTHOUGH THE FRAMEWORKS ARE CONSISTENT FOR
EACH CAMP, LIKE WE ALL TAKE THE FIELD TRIPS AND WE HAVE -- WE
HAVE USDA FOOD PROGRAMS, SO WE FEED THE CHILDREN BREAKFAST AND
LUNCH AND SNACKS, BUT IN TERMS OF ACTUAL PROGRAMMING, THE
DIVERSITY GROWS OUT OF THE DIVERSITY OF THE STAFF.
SO -- >> Jan: THAT SPEAKS WELL FOR THE
CITY. >> Debbie: IT IS, IT IS.
WE ALSO ARE AWARE OF KEEPING THE CHILDREN INTERESTED IN
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND WE PARTNER WITH NORFOLK PUBLIC
LIBRARIES AND SOME OF OUR SITES GET THE BOOKMOBILE, BUT THERE'S
A SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT EVERY SITE.
WE ALSO HAVE -- I TOOK SOME NOTES HERE.
MOST OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS HAVE COMPUTERS, SO THIS PAST
YEAR, WE WORKED WITH WHRO AND THEY CAME OUT TO DO SOME STEM
ACTIVITIES WITH US ON THE COMPUTERS, AND SO WE WILL BE
USING THAT TRAINING THAT WE GOT FROM YOU GUYS WITH THE KIDS.
>> Jan: ALL RIGHT, GREAT. AND THE FIELD TRIPS THAT YOU
MENTIONED, WHERE DO THEY GO? FOR SOME OF THE KIDS, YOU
MENTIONED SOME SITES, BUT THE CHILDREN, YOU HAVE --
>> Debbie: I HAVE MY NOTES WITH ME.
>> Jan: THEY'RE IN PLANNING, FOLKS, SO YOU'RE GETTING A
JUMPSTART ON THE INFO, BUT YOU TAKE THEM TO A LOT -- YOU SAID
1200 KIDS I THINK THAT ARE TRAVELING AROUND.
>> Debbie: THE TOTAL NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE PLAN FOR IS 1200.
I THINK ONE OF THE BEST TRIPS FOR ME LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS THE
FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY WENT WITH THEM, WAS GOING TO A MOVIE
THEATER WITH 250 CHILDREN. >> Jan: OH MY GOODNESS.
YOU'RE A BRAVE WOMAN. >> Debbie: IT'S A LOT OF
LAUGHTER, A LOT OF ENERGY. >> Jan: I BET IT IS.
>> Debbie: BUT WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK AGAIN TO -- WE USUALLY
TAKE THEM TO THE MOVIES EVERY SUMMER.
LAST SUMMER WE SAW A MOVIE CALLED "INSIDE OUT," AND IT WAS
VERY, VERY POPULAR WITH THE CHILDREN.
THEY LOVED IT. EARLY IN THE SUMMER, WE GO TO
THE ZOO BEFORE IT GETS AUGUST HOT.
>> Jan: VERY SMART. >> Debbie: AND THEN WE GO TO THE
MOVIES IN EARLY JULY. WE TOOK THEM BOWLING LAST YEAR.
IT WAS A GREAT HIT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM BOWLING
AGAIN. THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO THE
CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IN PORTSMOUTH, SO WE ARE USING THAT AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO STEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO HEYGOOD, WHICH IS
A SKATING RINK. CHILL THE PONDS, WHICH IS ICE
SKATING. >> Jan: OH MY.
>> Debbie: WE HAVE A BIG DOUBLE AREA TO SKATE WITH AND WHEN YOU
BRING AS MANY KIDS AS WE DO, WE NEED A LOT OF SPACE.
LAST YEAR, I WATCHED THE KIDS ICE SKATE AND SOME OF THEM FOR
THE FIRST TIME AND THEY WERE SO BRAVE AND SO PERSISTENT.
IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THEM.
>> Jan: TRY THESE NEW THINGS, HUH?
>> Debbie: TRY THE NEW THINGS. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM TO
LASER TAG WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S A LOT OF FUN FOR A LOT OF
KIDS. THEN AT THE END OF SUMMER, WE
HAVE AN OPTIONAL TRIP, WHICH IS OCEAN BREEZE WATER PARK.
AND THEN OUR CAMP THAT I DID NOT MENTION YET, WHICH IS OUR CAMP
WILLOUGHBY AS CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS, THEY TAKE THE KIDS OUT
TO THE ADVENTURE PARK BECAUSE THAT'S A NATURE, ADVENTURE KIND
OF PROGRAM. CAMP WILLOUGHBY IS ONE OF TWO
LOCATIONS WHERE WE TAKE THE CHILDREN OUT IN KAYAKS.
ALSO AT EAST OCEAN VIEW BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH RIGHT ON THE WATER.
AND EAST OCEAN VIEW ALSO HAS A FISHING PIER, SO THE KIDS AT
EAST OCEAN VIEW GET TO DO FISHING.
>> Jan: I WANT TO GO! IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN.
>> Debbie: YES. THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERS
IN THE COMMUNITY THAT OFFER US SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
CHILDREN. ONE YEAR, THE CHILDREN AT EAST
OCEAN VIEW GOT TO GO OUT ON A FISHING BOAT AND FISH IN THE BAY
AND THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING FOR THEM.
AND THERE'S A BIG ORGANIC COMMUNITY GARDEN OUT THERE.
I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST RECREATION CENTERS THAT HAD A
COMMUNITY GARDEN AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE AT TARRALLTON AND MOST
OTHER CENTERS DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, LOCATION FOR A
GARDEN, SO THEY DO INDOOR GARDENING.
>> Jan: WOW. SOME GREAT IDEAS HAVE BEEN PUT
IN AND A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THE VARIETY THAT YOU OFFER JUST
WITHIN EVEN ONE CAMP. >> Debbie: YEAH, IT'S REALLY --
AT SOME SITES, THEY HAVE DANCE GROUPS AND, AGAIN, IT COMES FROM
THE DIVERSITY OF THE STAFF. AND THE CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED TO
CHOREOGRAPH FOR THEMSELVES, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING, AND
BECAUSE WE WORK WITH AGES 5 THROUGH 12, OUR DANCE TROUPES
HAVE A RANGE OF AGES, LIKE FROM 5 TO 12, AND THEY WORK THE --
THE MULTI-AGES WORK TOGETHER BEAUTIFULLY.
AND THE STAFF PERSON OVERSEEING THEM DOES THE FINAL TOUCHES TO
THE CHOREOGRAPHY AND -- >> Jan: WELL, GREAT FUN THAT ALL
SOUNDS LIKE. AND ALL OF THESE ARE AVAILABLE.
NOW, THE PROCESS IS YOU NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION, IS THAT
CORRECT? THE PARENT WOULD APPLY?
>> Debbie: YES, THE FIRST SCHEDULING OF REGISTRATION IS
FOR CAMP WAKE-UP AND THAT'S -- THE REGISTRATION STARTS ON APRIL
16th. IT'S FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE,
AND YOU GO TO THE LOCATION WHERE YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO GO.
>> Jan: THAT'S WHERE YOU GO TO REGISTER.
>> Debbie: YES. FOR INSTANCE FOR CAMP WAKE-UP
THAT WOULD BE LIKE BAYVIEW RECREATION CENTER, CROSSROADS.
YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN AND GET MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. CAMP WILLOUGHBY, YOU GO OUT TO
CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS AND THEY ARE GOING TO REGISTER ON THE 15th OF
APRIL. AND THAT'S A LOTTERY PROCESS.
AND THE GET OUT AND PLAY, IT'S FIRST-COME/FIRST-SERVED AND YOU
WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO THE LOCATION.
LIKE IF YOU WANTED TO GO TO NORVIEW, HAVE YOUR CHILD GO TO
NORVIEW, YOU WOULD GO TO NORVIEW TO REGISTER.
AND THE SAME WITH THE NORVIEW NAVIGATORS CAMP, THE TEEN CAMP,
IT'S FIRST-COME/FIRST-SERVED. >> Jan: I THINK WE HAVE ALL THE
BASICS OUT THERE AND A LOT OF OTHER STUFF IN BETWEEN BECAUSE I
HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS SO MUCH INVOLVED IN THE CAMP PROGRAMS,
BUT THEY SOUND LIKE A LOT OF FUN.
THERE'S ALSO A WEBSITE, OF COURSE, THAT YOU CAN VISIT AND
GO TO NORFOLK.GOV AND PUT IN SUMMER CAMP, PARKS AND
RECREATION, ANYTHING, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE WEBSITE AND
THE PHONE NUMBER, OF COURSE, THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL TO FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT SUMMER CAMP IN NORFOLK.
SO REGISTRATION IS NOW GETTING UNDERWAY.
BY THE TIME WE ARE ON THE AIR, YOU'LL KNOW ABOUT THAT, AND GET
A HEAD START IF YOU CAN BECAUSE IT FILLS UP QUICKLY.
>> Debbie: IT DOES. >> Jan: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEBBIE, FOR SHARING ALL THIS GREAT
INFORMATION. >> Debbie: THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US. >> Jan: AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US. WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.
BYE.