The City of Seward’s Teen and Youth Center received a $5,000 grant through Seward Community Foundation’s 2018 competitive grant cycle to support the TYC summer day camp.
The summer day camp program serves youth in Seward and Moose Pass through a 12-week program. Campers range in age from 6 to 13 years old. The camp includes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs specific to a different theme each week along with enrichment trips to compliment those themes. This summer’s themes included camping, hiking, birds and bugs, among others.
Each week 50 to 60 campers attended the TYC summer day camp. Enrichment activities included a trip on Major Marine Tours, kayaking, ziplining, Alaska Challenger Center, a behind the scenes tour at the Alaska Zoo, and camping. The benefits of this program are numerous. Learning through recreation increases endorphins, and improves physical, mental, and emotional health of participants. 
Involvement in summer programs has proven to be essential to preventing loss of academic knowledge and skills during the summer months. The TYC will be the focus of a three-minute video sponsored by the California Science Academy at the end of September; the video will highlight their summer STEM programs.
Funding for this grant came from the Seward Community Foundation Unrestricted Fund and the City of Seward Unrestricted Fund.
