ITHACA, N.Y. — Free summer enrichment programs are being offered by Rural Youth Services (RYS), a 4-H program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. Programs are open to youth aged 7-to-18 who live in the Dryden, Ithaca, Groton, Lansing and Trumansburg school districts. Session topics change weekly and may not be offered in all districts; those now scheduled include photography, hiking, crafts, and a cardboard boat competition. Youth may sign up for one or all weeks, but spaces are limited.
In the session “Photography” (offered July 20–24) participants from all participating school districts will learn about basic digital photography skills, take photos, and will present an online gallery of their work for family and friends on the last day of the program. During the week of July 27-31, session topics will vary by municipality: youth in Dryden will explore “Hiking”; those in Town of Caroline, Danby, Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights and Village of Lansing will explore “Crafts”; while Enfield and Trumansburg/Ulysses youth participants will enjoy a “Cardboard Boat Competition” in which they design, build, and test their own cardboard boats.
The new format for these summer programs combines online and in-person sessions. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, youth meet online via Zoom so that RYS Educators can share instructional material that will be relevant to the next day’s in-person program. During these online sessions, participants can meet and interact virtually with youth from other RYS towns in Tompkins County. For sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm, youth will meet in-person with their local RYS Educator and other participants from their own towns.
For full details on content, times, and locations of currently scheduled programs, please visit: http://ccetompkins.org/RYS-
The Rural Youth Services (RYS) program provides a place to try new things and to belong by offering engaging activities after school and throughout the summer. Programs are free or low cost to participants. The program is housed at CCE-Tompkins and funded by the participating municipalities, with oversight and direction by Tompkins County Youth Services Department. For more information, contact Shelley Lester at sjl44@cornell.edu or Juliana Quaresma at Jmq27@cornell.edu (607) 272-2292 ext. 141
–Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
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