Information for Fiscal Year 2016
(Oct. 1, 2015-Sept. 30, 2016)
Boise Parks & Recreation
Youth Services
The City of Boise’s Park & Recreation Department had another busy year of
providing needed services to youth who live in underserved areas. This report
highlights the impact that the three school based community centers (Morley Nel-
son, Whitney, Grace Jordan) and the four Satellite Kid City sites (Garfield, Haw-
thorne, Taft and Jefferson) had on the youth they work with on a daily basis.
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Two big highlights of the year were adding new Satellite Kid City sites at two loca-
tions. The City of Boise Parks and Recreation Department now manages seven
after school sites, thus making an impact on the lives of even more children! Addi-
tionally, a new youth sports league was added to all of these sites so the children
have the opportunity to play in free organized youth sports leagues. Other high-
lights include:
Morley Nelson and Whitney Community Centers each hosted Thanksgiving din-
ner events for families to sit and enjoy a meal together. With the help of commu-
nity organizations they were able to create a lasting and quality experience which
for many was their only family dinner for the holiday. In all, 206 meals were pro-
vided.
In October of 2015, the Idaho Afterschool Network and the Boise Parks and Rec-
reation Department hosted the annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration at Mor-
ley Nelson Community Center. Mayor Bieter and First Lady Lori Otter were pre-
sent to announce a proclamation naming October 22 as Lights On Afterschool
Day. Over 100 youth participated in numerous activities supported by Eat Smart
Idaho, Boise Police Department, Stemfinity, BUGS, 4-H Healthy Living, Boise IT
department, Blue Cross High Five, and the Recreation Department.
During the 2016 Fiscal Year, Boise Parks & Recreation provided 23,872 meals
and/or snacks to youth. Providing a healthy meal for youth after school and dur-
ing summer months is a program priority. Our partnership with the Boise School
District has only grown stronger, and we were extremely excited in 2016 when the
Boise School District Nutrition Services were able to expand their own immense
program by providing after-school meals to our 7 elementary school locations.
This enabled us to focus more of our time on new programs being introduced.
With the help of BUGS and a private donation, Whitney Community Center was
able to double the size of their garden. Eight more garden boxes were built and a
new shed and an overhead canvas canopy were installed to create an outdoor
classroom space.
YEARLY STATISTICS
Morley Nelson Community Ctr.
39,359 youth visits
Grace Jordan Community Ctr.
14,768 youth visits
Whitney Community Ctr.
26,677 youth visits
Taft Satellite Kid City
8,297 youth visits
Hawthorne Satellite Kid City
7,340 youth visits
Jefferson Satellite Kid City
1,228 youth visits (1st month)
Garfield Satellite Kid City
1,070 youth visits (1st month)
Mobile Recreation Visits:
39,316 at school
4,898 at Summer Parks/Apt. Sites
1,221 at Special Events
Teen Night
4,878 Teen Visits
Clay O’ Rama
893 Teen Visits
Total Visits in FY 2016: 149,945
FY 2016 Youth Services Annual Report
NEW AFTER SCHOOL SITES OPEN
In addition to the afterschool programs opened at
Taft and Hawthorne during the 2014-2015 school
year, Boise Parks & Recreation opened two additional
Kid City sites at Garfield and Jefferson Elementary in
September of 2016. Consistent with the other BPR
community centers, the new afterschool programs are
free drop-in programs for students in 1st through 6th
grade and provide a variety of activities including
drop-in art, nutrition lessons and participation in the
new youth sports program. These afterschool pro-
grams have quickly become popular with students
and families and each sites sees approximately 60
students daily.
The Garfield Kid City program is funded by a partner-
ship with the Let’s Move Boise initiative. In addition
to the activities provided to all of the community cen-
ters, Garfield Kid City also receives services focused
on providing physical activity and nutrition opportu-
nities. Community partners including University of
Idaho 4-H Extension, the Boise Urban Garden
School, Boise State University and the Boise School
District all volunteered at this program providing les-
sons and games that teach participants the different
aspects of healthy living.
Let’s Move Boise (LMB) is a community wide initia-
tive to combat childhood obesity by increasing access
to physical activity and healthy food. The initiative
was founded in 2011 as a subcommittee of the
Mayor’s Council on Children and Youth. In an effort
to provide more comprehensive services, LMB’s pri-
mary goal over the last year has been to create and
implement a Let’s Move Community Center model to
integrate nutrition, food security and physical activity
education for students.
Garfield Elementary was chosen as the proposed site
based on the school’s high percentage of low-income
students and lack of free afterschool services. BPR,
the Boise Schools Education Foundation, St. Luke’s,
United Way and the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation
for Health each provided $5,000 to fund the launch
of the new program. Beginning in August of 2016,
daily afterschool services became available for stu-
dents in grades 1-6. This program is the seventh after-
school site operated by BPR at Boise School District
Title-1 schools and will be sustained by Boise Parks &
Recreation funding in following years.
Let’s Move Boise activities included nutrition classes,
gardening lessons, a youth sports league, ecological
activities, and hula hoop dance lessons.
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“We are so thankful for the Community Centers. On days we work late, we have peace
of mind knowing our kids are in a place where they are safe, happy, having fun and
fed. They love participating in the numerous fun learning activities that the Commu-
nity Center schedules. My kids have learned new skills like how to ski and have made
new friends. We are grateful for the new opportunities the Center brings to the kids in
our neighborhood. Thank you to the whole Community Center staff for being so won-
derful and loving our kids."
Kara S. (neighborhood parent)
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The Boise Bike Project (BBP) has been a partner with our afterschool
programs for over 6 years. Since their founding, the BBP has given
away thousands of bikes to children in need in our community. The
children who attend our community centers have seen the benefits of
these donations. The BBP is a natural fit for our recreation programs,
as we promote a healthy and engaged community while encouraging
the benefits of bicycling.
This past year, the afterschool programs hosted visits by the BBP,
Kids Fix It Nights, where volunteers meet at our centers to repair
youth bicycles and educate the community on bike safety. The BBP
has a new Mobile Bicycle Repair Station that is “pedal-powered” al-
lowing BBP employees to bike to our site with all their tools. Addi-
tionally, we’ve referred multiple families to the BBP for affordable
bicycling needs, and to participate in the BBP’s annual Christmas
Bike Giveaway.
PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT:
BOISE BIKE PROJECT
YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUE
Boise Parks & Recreations started a youth sports league in September. This league engages each of Boise
Parks & Recreation’s seven afterschool sites in team sports. During the fall, the focus was on Flag Football.
During the afterschool program, each school held practices led by Boise
Parks & Recreation staff and had scrimmages against the other sites. For
the majority of these children, this was their first opportunity to engage
in an organized sports league. During the games, several parents and
family members attended and the Youth Sports League created not only
an organized sports outlet for youth, but it also created a forum for
school and community engagement. Parents brought lawn chairs, blan-
kets, and snacks to watch their children play in the games.
Team shirts for youth
were made possible
through a sponsorship
by Idaho Pizza Company
that totaled more than
$3,000.
STEM programming has taken a large leap forward at our community
centers. Morley Nelson Community Center entered its second year
providing STEM enrichment classes. The weekly class partners with
4-H University of Idaho Extension, Discovery Center of Idaho, Boise
Watershed, and Foothills Learning Center to bring the best of STEM
education to the Morley Nelson community.
In partnership with the Idaho Afterschool Network and Boise School
District, Whitney Community Center was able to provide an opportuni-
ty for ten middle school students to participate in the Zero Robotics
computer coding camp. The teens worked as a team to develop a com-
puter program that used the SPHERES satellites to solve a space relat-
ed challenge. After several phases of competition, teams met at BSU to
compete in a live championship aboard the International Space Station.
Astronauts on board the International Space Station acted as referees.
Morley Nelson, Grace Jordan and Whitney Community Centers participated
in the annual Sumobot competition at the Idaho State Fair. Morley Nelson
and Whitney placed 1st and 2nd place in the competition, which has teams
programming their battle bots in an attempt to defeat the opposing bot. The
equipment and instructors for Sumobots is brought to our program by a
lasting partnership with the University of Idaho Extension 4-H. Teams met
once per week over the summer to build, create and test their bots.
In partnership with Boise State STEM faculty from the Colleges of Engi-
neering, Arts & Sciences, and Education, BSU was awarded a National Sci-
ence Foundation grant totaling more than one-million dollars. The grant
will allow Boise State faculty, in conjunction with teachers from the Boise
School District, to dedicate weekly STEM classes at each of our afterschool
locations. The ultimate intent is to broaden the exposure of STEM concepts
by educating community center staff and school instructors with the tools
they need to bring STEM into regularity.
STEM PROGRAMMING
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In FY ‘16, approximately 126 volunteers donated 1,674 hours for youth programs.
For the purposes of this report, we are using an hourly wage of $20.97/hour
(Independent Sector hourly value for volunteer services in the state of Idaho). Using
this figure, volunteers donated $35,103.78 worth of services for Boise Parks & Rec-
reation Youth Services. Of those volunteers, 107 were students from Boise State
University’s Service Learning (SL) program. The SL program has been an invaluable
partner to Boise Parks & Recreation’s programs. The SL program connects BSU
classrooms with community organizations in order to enhance student learning
through hands on experiences in the work place and encourage students to be active
citizens.
VOLUNTEER HOURS
The Boise Parks and Recreation Playcamp is a child-care licensed summer camp offered for students ages 6-12 at
six city park locations. Playcamp includes weekly field trips, art classes, games at the park and swimming twice a
week at city pools. During the past summer, Playcamp had 3,031 participants through the 11 weeks of camp, re-
sulting in the highest number of participants yet.
To further our commitment to safety, Boise
Parks and Recreation required all Playcamp
staff to become child-care licensed through the
Boise City Clerk’s Office. In order to become
licensed, all child-care workers are required to
take up to 14 hours of training annually (hours
vary depending on experience and education).
Training topics can include childhood develop-
ment, education, psychology, business manage-
ment, safety and health. Child-care workers are
also required to renew adult, child and infant
CPR/First Aid certification annually. BPR as-
sisted 44 individuals in receiving these licenses
to work at Playcamp this past summer by
providing guidance and partial reimbursement.
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KRISTIN ARMSTRONG MUNICIPAL PARK DEDICATION
On August 28, 2016, hundreds of Boise residents gathered at Municipal Park where the City of Boise honored
three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Kristin Armstrong. Boise Parks & Recreation’s Mobile Recreation was also
in attendance providing activities. Many of the youth played dodgeball, giant Jenga, parachute games and par-
ticipated in potato sack races during the event. The line for face painting was constant and staff estimated that
they face painted over 200 youth. At one point
several Boise Firefighters even joined in the dodge-
ball fun.
PLAYCAMPS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Ada County Highway District
Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation
Boise Bicycle Project
Boise Farmer’s Market
Boise Little Theatre
Boise Mobile Market
Boise Rescue Mission
Boise School District
Boise Schools Education Foundation
Boise State Service Learning
Boise State University
Boise Urban Garden School
Boise Watershed
Church on the Bench
Discovery Center of Idaho
Dry Creek Community Church
Eat Smart Idaho
Girl Scouts of America
Girls on the Run
Hidden Springs Community
Idaho Afterschool Network
Idaho Coalition Against Sexual &
Domestic Violence
Idaho Commission for Libraries
Idaho Food Bank
Idaho Humane Society
Idaho Meth Project
Idaho Pizza Company
Jannus
Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center
Boise City Library!
Life’s Kitchen
NeighborWorks
Payette Children’s Forest
Rotary Club of Boise
Sawtooth Society
Sojourn Church
St. Luke’s
Treasure Valley YMCA
United Methodist Church
United Way
University of Idaho Extension 4-H
Program
Vista Neighborhood Association
Women’s and Children’s Alliance