Ballard Park is a known party location for high school students. The goals of our Summer Educational programs are to provide a framework for long term positive relationships with middle school students in which the students develop a sense of stewardship for the land, build an appreciation of nature and associate the park with personal growth, artistic recognition and overall positive youth development instead of a place for underage drinking and substance use. As students enrolled in the program began entering Rogers High School, the Friends of Ballard Park developed a survey to measure student use and perceptions of Ballard Park and identify activities and events that might engage students in positive park activities.
Summer 2006
In July Summer Educational programs at Ballard Park began with children from five area nonprofit organizations visiting the park. Children ranging in age from kindergartners to teens entering Rogers High School this year participated in lessons of art, literacy, science and substance abuse prevention. Collaborating partners included Island Arts, the City of Newport's Teen Extreme program, Newport Community School, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center and the Salvation Army Summer Camp.
Under the tutelage of Marybeth Vierra, elementary aged children in the Salvation Army and Dr. MLK Community Center connected themselves to the environment through literacy. Hikes, a presentation on animals by a represenative from the Norman Bird Sanctuary as well as arts and crafts projects kept the children enraptured in the program all summer long.
Candace Cardin and Myles Murray welcomed many familar faces back to Ballard Park teaching the Teen Extreme program. The teaching duo incorporated team building exercises, scavenger hunts, experiments and a guest visit from the Roger Williams Park Zoomobile into their environmental ciriculum. Substance Abuse Prevention was another area Ms. Cardin and Jill Reed highlighted with all students including those from the Newport Community School.
