The Airway Heights parks and recreation department is offering a new after school program for girls which is called “Girls Excited About Recreation” (GEAR).
“I heard about it at a conference and thought it was something we were capable of doing,” Andy Gardner, parks, recreation and community services supervisor said. “It just seemed like the right thing to do.”
The program will start on Oct. 4 and is offered at no cost for girls between the ages of eight and 13. It will take place after school from 3 – 5 p.m.
The idea behind the program is to have a fun, safe and positive environment for girls to socialize and try new things. GEAR will try to empower young ladies to reach their full potential and build self-esteem through recreation education.
“Kids need to have a place to go to know they are safe,” Gardner added. “History has told us that things like this are important.”
The organization is run by Mika Norrish, a parks and recreation assistant, who was given full creativity by Gardner. She plans on having guest speakers who are women in leading roles like the police officers in Airway Heights, news anchors or principals.
GEAR also coincides with the “Drop-In” program through parks and recreation, which is currently the longest running orginzation in the department with it going on for about 15 years now.
It allows kids to have a place to go every day after school to hang out with staff and do different activities on select days and is also offered for free. Those activities include flag football, Pictionary, movies, crafts and fly swatter volleyball.
Both boys and girls are able to attend Drop-In between the ages of eight and 13. It takes place Monday through Friday from 3 – 6 p.m.
Drop-In and GEAR are held at the parks and recreation building in Airway Heights at 13120 W. 13th Ave. For more information, visit http://www.cawh.org/parksandrec.
Grace Pohl can be reached at grace@cheneyfreepress.com.
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