BOARD MATTER

Support of Summer Youth Activities

April 4, 2005

Mr. Chairman: The Road Dawg and Rec-Pac/Quest are two very active programs in Fairfax County that engage youth in a structured program during the summer months. The Road Dawg Camp is a week-long camp for at-risk youths, which is conducted in August, provides an opportunity for Fairfax County police officers to serve as mentors and introduce boys and girls to the public safety profession. Campers were also taught life skills sets necessary to steer away from unproductive and destructive activities. Rec-PAC/Quest, operated by Fairfax County Park Authority, is a six week structured recreation program with emphasis on leisure skills designed for elementary school children. Rec-Quest is a six week structured recreation program with emphasis on leisure skills designed for middle school children. Participants will have an opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of activities such as: fun and fitness, indoor and outdoor games, team sports, nature, crafts, storytelling, field trips, sports festivals, talent shows and supervised play sessions.

These programs offer enriching opportunities for our at-risk youth and barriers to access to these programs are not conducive to meeting that objective. Students attending the Graham Road Elementary School as well as youth living in the surrounding communities have barriers to access to the above mentioned programs due to transportation restrictions.

Therefore, I move that the Board include in the amount of $6,000 as a consideration item for the FY 2005/06 budget to provide for transportation in support of the summer Road Dawg and Rec-Pac/Quest programs serving the community surrounding the Graham Road Elementary School.