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Your child will find
a world of activities, adventures, learning and FUN at the Rochester
Area Family Y, helping them to grow in spirit, mind and body.
Our youth programs give kids a welcoming place to make friends
and learn new skills in an environment that emphasizes respect,
responsibility, honesty and caring . All YMCA programs aim to
build competence and confidence in children in a safe, secure
environment for social and emotional growth.
Y SPACE"Make it your place"Open to 1st through 12th grades! Every day after school! Check in between 3:00-7:30PM and pick up by 8:00PM. SWIMMING EVERY FRIDAY from 4:00-6:00PM CHILD INFORMATION RECORD NEEDED ON FILE BEFORE PARTICIPATION!
Mission : The mission of Y Space is to provide a safe and fun environment where our community's diverse tweens and teens engage in activities and programs that foster individual emotional and physical health, strengthen personal and family relationships, and teach respect, honesty, caring and responsibility.
Objectives: • Provide a safe and secure environment • Provide structured programming based on the 40 Developmental Assets outlined by the Search Institute • Empower youth to make healthy choices using the four Y values.
Y Space is the Court, a renovated racquetball court full of creative physical activities and the Lounge, a homework room for tweens and teens. Both rooms are always staffed. The Court has Dance Dance Revolution; pool, ping pong, air hockey and foosball tables. The Lounge has computers, art supplies and a lending library. Y Space will offer structured programs such as computer instruction, DDR contests, creative Writing Contests, and Community Service Projects. Tweens and Teens can also drop in during their scheduled hours to hang out, play games, listen to music, work on computers, get homework help, and have fun.
CLICK HERE for the Grand Opening Slideshow Contact Jennifer Nelson for any questions or for more information! 507-287-2260, ext. 335, or email: jennifern@rochfamy.org
Youth Garden What: The Delicious and Nutritious Garden When: June 11-August 31 Where: Rochester Area Family Y Who: 130, 1st -6th grade youth who participate in Discover Y Day Camp (65, 4 th -6 th graders are primarily responsible for the garden, 1st -3rd grade have a weekly taste testing) Get more info:
Community Partners : • Olmsted County Public Health Services, Steps to a Healthier Rochester (Jo Anne Judge Dietz) • Helped start the preliminary planning and plans to provide financial support for upcoming years • Master gardener, Pat Mack • Has donated countless hour teaching kids in the garden, donated all the plants and seeds, and helped prepare the plot and continues almost daily maintenance • Sargent's Nursery and Landscape Gardens • Donated use of equipment (tiller and sod cutter) to prepare plot • Olmsted County Recycling Center • Donated 12 tons of compost • RNeighbors • Posts pictures and a weekly garden update on their website • Pork and Plants • Donated annual flowers around the perimeter of the garden • Home Depot, Target, Walmart (North and South), and ShopKo • All donated gift certificates to purchase garden supplies • Rochester District Dietetic Association, Rochester Public Library, Rochester Flower and Garden Club, Rochester Community and Technical College-Horticultural Dept, other Master Gardeners • Have not yet volunteered, but all showed interest in the preliminary planning stages
What will the youth garden look like? Who will be involved? What will they do? Youth will be involved in garden activities twice a week for 12 weeks. Youth will learn to plant, weed, water and harvest the garden. Garden-based activities will focus on nutrition, particularly fruits and vegetables. Youth will receive lessons regarding the origins of food, plant parts, nutrient needs of humans and plants, the environment (soil, worms, insects), MyPyramid, serving sizes, food labels, goal setting, and the preparation of healthy snacks and meals.
Youth will have a weekly taste testing of a fruit or vegetable. In the end, youth will create a cookbook based on the food grown in the garden.
What will be grown? What will kids have the opportunity to taste:
Why teach kids to garden? A garden is a great way for kids to learn about healthy eating, specifically fruits and vegetables through hands on learning. If kids truly understand where their food comes from (not just the Cub Foods) they may start to make the connections with the food they eat, their health and the health of our land and community.
It can often take more than 12 exposures before a child (or adult) will begin to like a new food. So the weekly taste testing is a fantastic way for kids to get the opportunity to try new fruits and vegetables.
So what can kids and parents do that don't participate in the garden at the Rochester Area Family Y?
• Start a small garden with your kids or just start with one tomato plant. • Take your kids to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings and let them talk with the farmers who grow their food and let them choose their own fruits and vegetables • Get kids involved in their food, whether it's getting a starting a community plot from the City of Rochester or taking a cooking class with them. You may be surprised at how excited they are to learn about how their carrot grows or how to prepare it.
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Rochester Area Family Y
709 First Ave. SW Rochester, MN 55902-3396 507-287-2260 |
