May 13, 2004

Summer fun for youth and families

By Vice Mayor Pat Dando
Special to the Times

With the warm days of summer around the corner, I have heard from many parents who are interested in various summertime programs, events, and activities for their children.  Throughout San Jose and in District 10, there are endless opportunities for our youth and families.

The Spot Youth Center
Quite a few exciting programs, trips, and activities will be available at The Spot, which will be open Monday-Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. starting June 28. During the summer, open gym and swimming activities will be offered. Throughout June, July and August, The Spot will sponsor day camp opportunities that include horseback riding, a kayaking trip, leadership skills workshops, and community service activities with toddlers. If you or your teenager would like to get involved with these programs, please feel free to visit The Spot, located at 7050 Bret Harte Drive or call at (408) 268-4921.

Summer camps and
volunteer opportunities
Guadalupe River Park and Gardens’ San Jose Safari Day Camp promises to be a fun and educational day camp experience for children. Campers will “trek” through San Jose on an adventure discovering several of the city’s premier cultural venues including History San Jose, San Jose Museum of Art, the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, and the Mexican Heritage Plaza. Other highlights of this weeklong day camp include learning to compost, archeology digs, hikes, various museum tours, and an opportunity to discover how a child’s life in old San Jose might have differed from their own. This amazing safari will be offered the weeks of July 12, July 26, and August 9 and is geared toward children between the ages of 7-10. Space is limited! To sign up contact Kary Wilson at (408) 298-7657.

The Tech Museum in downtown San Jose offers weeklong, half-day camps for youth age 8-15.  Among the many different programs offered at the Tech is Junior MD, where one learns what it is like to be a doctor for a week in a mini-med school. In this program, students will meet real doctors, learn how their own body works and about the critical decisions doctors make.  In the Hollywood Stars program, youngsters will create, write, and direct their own short movie using state of the art computer programs.  At the end of the session, one will have their own video to showcase with their family and friends.  These are just a sampling of the exciting day camps offered at The Tech Museum.  If you have any questions about these summer camps, call The Tech at (408) 795-6327.

The Children’s Discovery Museum hosts a variety of summer opportunities; one of the most exciting is Summer of Service.  This innovative community service program pairs youth with activities that interest them including working with young children, conducting water quality research, working in the museum, and working on projects to protect and preserve our environment (such as creek cleanups). To sign up, contact the museum at (408) 298-5437.

San Jose’s Museum of Art will offer their popular Summer Art Studios program. The good news is that sessions will be offered at Bret Harte Middle School this year, making it very convenient for District 10 kids to participate. Children of all age groups take part in art programs that teach them new techniques of self expression through creative media such as painting, ceramics, and sculpture.  Working with youth from across San Jose, your child will learn from their peers new forms of artistic communication.  For more information on these programs, contact the museum at (408) 271-6840.

Stay cool at Almaden Lake Park
Almaden Lake Park offers the perfect place to cool off during the hot days of summer. The park offers water sport activities, picnic facilities, playgrounds for young children, a marina complex, and swimming. Swim season starts on Saturday, May 29 and continues through Labor Day, Sept. 6. Water activities will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Whatever your child and your family decide to do this summer, it is my hope that you will explore our city and find great opportunities to meet friends and participate in some exciting activities.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at via e-mail at pat.dando@sanjoseca.gov or at (408) 277-5251.