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North Central Florida YMCA brings summer camp to rural areas

By Katie Hyson, WUFT News

Posted on June 10, 2022

Listen above: The North Central Florida YMCA kicked off summer camp in Hawthorne this week. It’s the first time Hawthorne has had summer programming in about a decade, according to the mayor. The need for more affordable out of school programming has been central in local discussions around youth violence.

YMCA summer program: Several children in t-shirts and shorts holding orange/red pompoms in the air stand facing a grassy sports field with backs to camera

Katie Hyson/WUFT News

A cheer team eggs on the kickball players at Hawthorne’s YMCA summer camp.

YMCA summer program: Woman stands to far right with back to camera as tatching Two children face each as one prepares to kick approaching kickball.

Katie Hyson/WUFT News

Angela Howard (right) president of North Central Florida YMCA, said she’s “overjoyed” to see all their work come to fruition.

YMCA summer camp: FFive people with backs to camera stand behind the kicker waiting for a pitch during a kickball game and cheerleaders with red pompoms sit in bleachers across the playing field surrounded by green trees.

Katie Hyson/WUFT News

A team watches in suspense as the kickball pitch is made.

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Katie Hyson is a Report for America Corps Member at WUFT News covering racial and rural inequities in East Gainesville and north central Florida.

This story is part of Youth Today’s coverage of out-of-school-time programs, best practices, and legislation at the federal and local level.

Related Tags:afterschool, Feature Story, Florida, kickball, North Central Florida YMCA, OST, OST Reporting Project, out-of-school time and afterschool, summer programs, YMCA, youth violence prevention

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