As summer begins to draw to a close, the diocese's summer programs for children and youth are also winding down another summer of fun, academic enrichment and faith formation.
It was a milestone summer for the Barbara C. Ha
Shaquelle Davis
Dressing up for a skit at B-SAFE at St. Augustine's and St. Martin's Church
rris Camp, which welcomed 505 campers over the course of the summer, a 20 percent increase from 2014.
B-SAFE (Bishop's Summer Academic Fun and Enrichment) has just concluded its 16th summer of providing summer enrichment and community to kids in Boston’s neighborhoods. B-SAFE had 624 children and young people registered, and employed 130 teens as counselors and junior counselors-in-training.
B-SAFE serves children at six Episcopal church and school sites: St. Stephen’s Church, Boston; the Church of St. Augustine and St. Martin, Roxbury; St. Mary’s Church, Dorchester; the Church of the Holy Spirit, Mattapan; St. Luke’s-San Lucas Church, Chelsea; and Epiphany School in Dorchester. More than 50 partner organizations (most but not all Episcopal churches) collaborated with sites to serve lunches, run field trips and provide other support.
Bishop Barbara C. Harris came to camp for a visit...and a selfie.
At the Barbara C. Harris Camp in Greenfield, N.H., the new Lifeguards in Training program hosted a group of 10th-12th graders, who spent four consecutive weeks at camp to become certified in Red Cross CPR, first aid, life guarding and small craft safety. Campers who participated in the LIT program are now equipped for year-round after-school jobs at aquatics facilities, as well as qualified to apply to be lifeguards at the camp next summer. “This program is one of many movements to expand our high school age programming, as we feel this age group needs more access to leadership development programs,” said camp director Alessia Doss.
The Barbara C. Harris Camp also welcomed a new head chaplain this year, Drew Courtright. Courtright currently runs the Winterlight program at the Kanuga Conference Center in North Carolina, and serves as youth minister at St. Andrew’s Church in Hopkinton, N.H. Courtright developed and implemented the faith formation curriculum, based on the theme “leap of faith.” “Our music, Bible studies and faith formation activities were brought to a whole new level under Drew’s guidance,” Doss said. “He infused a whole new energy into our camp programming.”
Courtesy
Teen organizers painting at Ramsay Park.
Teen leadership development was also a continuing theme of B-SAFE. This year, B-SAFE teen organizers enlisted the support of Mayor Marty Walsh, Police Commissioner William Evans, State Representative Byron Rushing and Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson to help revitalize Ramsay Park in Lower Roxbury, which has been a magnet for illegal activity. B-SAFE teen organizers helped plan evening tennis and basketball programs at the park for neighborhood children, and collaborated with local muralist Alex Cook to create a mural for the park.
Janet Boswell, Director of Development and Communications for St. Stephen’s Youth Programs, stressed the importance of this deepening relationship between the Boston Police Department and St. Stephen’s Youth Programs, which include B-SAFE and afterschool program B-READY. “[It is] a very positive development, particularly in light of national events,” she said. “Commissioner Evans and several of his officers have attended
holiday celebrations, participated in career days, sponsored service days and helped to clean up Ramsay Park.”
Many B-SAFE staff members and volunteers contributed stories and photos to the B-SAFE blog, which can be found here. Photos from the Barbara C. Harris Camp can be found on the camp's Facebook and Instagram pages.