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| Vol. 18, No. 37 | July 22, 1999 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 37 | July 22, 1999 |
Youth program participants take to the basketball court.
For the eighth year, UD is hosting the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP), a sports and lifeskills camp for young people who live in New Castle County. The program and all activities are available to these children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap.
The sports camp opened July 6 and is providing 345 youngsters, ages 10-16, with breakfast, lunch and activities five days a week through Aug. 9.
The day begins between 7 and 7:30 a.m., when buses pick up the youngsters and bring them to campus.
Lauren Haman, 12, of Newark, said she's not crazy about having to get up that early in the summer, but she is crazy about basketball and softball and can play both at camp.
Next, it's breakfast at Russell Dining Hall, then football, softball, tennis, track and field, swimming and volleyball. After lunch, there are more sports and activities until the bus leaves for home at 3 p.m. Each day, Activity Director Edith Moyer oversees the operation of the camp and interacts with counselors and students to see that the program runs smoothly.
Ernest Ballock, 11, of Newport also is back for a second year. He loves basketball, but said the camp gives him a chance to enjoy lots of other sports that he couldn't play while at home.
Also included in the day's activities are problem-based math and science classes, plus drug, alcohol and career counseling.
Jessica Hurtt-Dunkley, 11, of Newark, said she enjoys swimming and watching movies when it rains. "I like coming here. I see lots of friends and people who live in my neighborhood and the counselors are really nice," she said.
There are 35 counselors who shepherd the kids through the program. The 10 senior counselors are college students, and the junior counselors are high school students, some of whom are former NYSP participants.
Ursula Cornish, 21, of Newark and her mother Annette, a physical education teacher in the Christina School District, were volunteers almost from the program's inception. Ursula became a counselor in 1996. She's now a senior at South Carolina State University and said being part of the program gives her a chance to do the two things she loves the most, work with children and play sports.
"I'm an athlete," she said. "I've been playing sports all of my life and I love children. It's a good program for kids. Some are underprivileged and a program like this gives them two meals a day, keeps them off the streets and everybody learns."
Kenneth Hollis teaches the class using a problem-based approach, so that the youngsters have to use math and science to work out real-life problems. Hollis, who teaches at Gunning-Bedford Middle School, said he tries to make the class fun.
"The program takes inner city kids out of the house, off the streets and gives them things to do throughout the summer," said junior counselor Natasha Howard, 14, of Wilmington, who started going to camp when she was 9.
Thomas Clay, 17, of Wilmington and a junior counselor, said he can't wait to get up in the morning to come to work. "If you work here, you don't worry about a paycheck."
J.R. Tillman, 20, of Newark, and a senior counselor, said, "Education, math and science give them new life skills and they get to play sports they never would have played at home. It would be good if the program lasted all summer."
Program administrator Ron Whittington, affirmative action and multicultural programs, said that NYSP is truly a collaborative experience.
"Each child is given a free physical before entering the program," he explained, "and this year, the 116th MASH unit of the Delaware National Guard donated nine doctors and 20 technicians. The buses are provided by Knotts Bus Inc. at a very reduced rate; and funding is coming from the state of Delaware, city of Wilmington, Summer Youth Employment Program, New Castle County Community Partnership and the Crozier Foundation. The Delaware State Police is providing drug and alcohol counseling."
