This is the final week of school for many students, which means parents may be looking for something to keep their children busy, while also looking for an environment that's educational and keeps them safe.

Alicia George, the Family Resource Coordinator at the MLK Center explained,  "We try to bridge the gap between home and school, so we are trying to address any barriers that the family may have that might get in the way of the child or the family being successful."


Many community centers offer affordable or free summer programming.

Dr. Lisa May, the Director of Outpatient Services at UPMC Western Behavioral Health Safe Harbor explained the benefits, "Those social interactions, good, bad, otherwise really teach us boundaries, how to interact, how to deal with rejection, those social emotional skills and that is so important through childhood. So camps or other activities in the summer can be so beneficial for kids."


Places like the MLK Center or the Booker T. Washington Center offer programs which includes learning, field trips, and physical activities all things which Dr. May said is better than sitting at home on a screen. The Booker T. Washington Center's pre-sail program is underway now and their full sail program starts in July. Their summer program includes breakfast, learning and educational opportunities in the morning followed by afternoon field trips, speakers and creative arts in the afternoon. Their program is free and applications are still open. They have room for about 100 children.


Meantime, the MLK Center's summer program also begins in July. Their program is a mix of academic enrichment and real life experiences. They partner with other community organizations to make sure children are making the most out of their experiences. Parents must pay 38 dollars a week to attend. 


"Kids learn more from unstructured time and from people than they do from media or screens and especially for younger children that becomes very important", said Dr. May.


Until some of those summer programs begin, a lot of community centers offer an interim program before the summer programs begin. Organizers believe that these programs not only provide a safe space for children but they also are a place where kids can learn valuable life lessons.


Terry Jackson, the Program Director of the After School and Summer organization at the Booker T. Washington Center said, "I'm a believer that it takes a village, because we are in a day and age and that some people don't have both parents in a household and we will be that representation for them to keep good things in their minds and hearts. The streets don't have to raise them, no one has to raise them."

For more information of the MLK Center, click here.

For more information about the Booker T. Washington Center, click here.