SWAMPSCOTT — From firefighting to water sports, the Recreation Department has prepared a variety of exciting activities for youth this summer.
The Swampscott Fire Department, in partnership with the Swampscott Recreation Department, is offering an expanded Youth Firefighter Program for children in grades 6-12 this July.
“It is something that I have been thinking about since I assumed my role as chief,” said Fire Chief Graham Archer. “It is a great way to engage the young people in town, to give them some safety lessons and maybe plant the seed for some future firefighters.”
The youth will learn about fire safety, first aid, fire department apparatus and personnel. They will get to try out various equipment, including firefighters turnout gear, self-contained breathing apparatus, fire hoses, extinguishers, rescue tools and more.
The program will incorporate activities such as climbing ladders, using a fire extinguisher on a controlled live-fire prop, search training in dark environments, and going on fire trucks and town-owned boats. It will run for two weeks, Monday through Friday, July 11-22. The drop-off will be at the Swampscott Fire Department at 76 Burrill St.
Last year, some children said they would maybe be interested in becoming firefighters, while others liked the Emergency Medical Services part of the course better. Nearly half of the program’s 10 participants last year were girls, Archer said.
“I definitely want to put a special emphasis on encouraging young girls to step up and try their hands at it,” said Archer. “There is a place for females in the fire service, and we really need females to take an interest and come on board.”
For children looking to strengthen their water safety knowledge, there will be a stand-up paddle (SUP) board program, SUP 101, that will run in the mornings and afternoons at Fisherman’s Beach on weekdays from June 27 to Aug. 25. Paddlers ages 6-14 can enroll and will learn about the ocean and environment, as well as how to properly handle equipment, how to dress and how to safely launch and land. They will also be exposed to turning skills, teamwork skills, leadership skills, safety and rescue techniques, water etiquette and SUP yoga.
Ninety-minute SUP programs are also available for 3- to 5-year-olds at Fisherman’s Beach on Thursday afternoons starting June 23.
For those interested more in art, Lara Goodman, a local North Shore artist and art educator, will lead five-day art camps for elementary and middle schoolers, starting July 11 and July 18, respectively. Classes will take place outdoors in the mornings.
Younger artists from grades 1-4 will create art about and with the landscape around them. They will learn about shapes and forms in the natural world, and hopefully get inspired by nature. Older artists will learn the value of a sketchbook as a visual diary, working with portable materials like a pencil, a pen or watercolors. In this program, children will have the opportunity to create community art work, which will become a part of the town’s environment.
In August, children can join a Top Secret Science and Math Clinic, where they will conduct “wacky” hands-on science experiments and produce take-home projects. Led by fast-paced and funny scientists, the clinic offers a week of six-hour days full of science. Children will explore “motions and flying things,” air and water pressure, light and sound, “crazy” chemistry, electricity, magnets, astronomy and more.
More detailed information about these programs, as well as the Park League Program, Chess Wizard Week, TV production, sailing and a new program called Middle School Adventure Days, can be found online at swampscottma.myrec.com or from the Recreation Department at (781) 596-8854.
