ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo speaks at the opening of the new For Kids Only Afterschool building in Revere.
BY DILLON DURST
REVERE — There’s a new place in town for kids to hang out.
For Kids Only Afterschool (FKO) held its grand opening Friday at its new Youth In Motion facility in Revere.
Construction crews broke ground on the $2.8 million project on Broadway one year ago. The building, which can house up to 120 children, was funded by the state’s Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund, community grants, donors and FKO.
For three decades, FKO has provided year-round, out-of-school programs to children ages 5-14. The program provides children with academic, recreational and social opportunities.
Theresa Jordan, Children’s Investment Fund program manager, said 95 percent of the children FKO serves come from low-income families.
The two-story building features a library and computer lab, a nutrition cafe, a half-court gymnasium and a dance and yoga studio. The school also has a reflection room, which will be used to promote healthy stress management, as well as a kitchen and classrooms.
“There has never been a more exciting time for afterschool and summer learning in Revere,” said Deborah Kneeland Keegan, FKO’s executive director.
Youth In Motion’s after-school program operates during the school year from dismissal until 6 p.m. Children receive a healthy snack, homework support and academic enrichment classes, which help students develop new skills and interests, according to its website. Youth In Motion also provides summer programs, as well.
House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said FKO has been a positive force now for many years, and thanked everyone present at Friday’s ceremony for their commitment to the kids and to Revere.
“When kids are healthy and active, they are more likely to excel both in the classroom and outside of it,” said the Winthrop Democrat.
State Rep. RoseLee Vincent (D-Revere) called the new building a “perfect addition to the revitalization of Broadway.”
“Youth In Motion will help the children and families of our city for years to come,” she said.
Thomas Weber, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, said the program prepares children for school and life.
“It is well established through research that environments influence the architecture of a child’s developing brain,” he said. “So having program spaces that facilitate positive experiences for children is critical.”
While Mayor Brian Arrigo could not be present for the ceremony, his wife, Daveen, said that the opening of the new facility is something they’ve both looked forward to for a long time. She thanked everyone involved for their commitment to ending childhood obesity.
Dillon Durst can be reached at [email protected].
