About 75 college students and young adults congregated at Lihue Neighborhood Center Thursday for the county’s Summer Youth program, which kicks off Monday, June 16 at neighborhood centers and schools around the island. More than 1,000 island youth from kindergarten
About 75 college students and young adults congregated at Lihue Neighborhood Center Thursday for the county’s Summer Youth program, which kicks off Monday, June 16 at neighborhood centers and schools around the island.
More than 1,000 island youth from kindergarten to high school are signed up for summer programs run by the County of Kauai, including summer enrichment, the National Youth Sports Program, golf and swimming.
Cindy Duterte, recreation director, and Zach Wilhelm, teacher coordinator, were on hand to direct the class, which today included water safety lessons taught by county lifeguards.
“I’m home for the summer, and I like working with kids,” said Kelly Rapozo, a master’s program student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Brandie Kawamura, a fellow UH student, agreed that she signed up to work because she likes working with children. Both are placed at King Kaumualii Elementary School in Hanamaulu.
“It’s good experience to work with children,” said Kristen Konishi, a 2003 graduate of the University of Idaho with a degree in elementary education, is in her fourth year with the summer program and is a site teacher this year. “I thought it was going to be easy, but it’s hard,” she laughingly admitted.
Junior leaders also help keep the young ones in line, with the bulk of the volunteers in the 11-12 age group.
This week, the paid leaders also received training in making collages, papier-mch molds for piatas, and Hawaiian crafts; Hawaiiana; CPR and First Aid.
