The Tribune

THE Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture announced that its annual Summer Employment Programme will run from Monday, July 1 to Friday, July 26 this year.

Every year, the Programme offers employment to young persons between the ages of 15 and 25 to afford them the opportunity of a meaningful work experience in the ministry’s camps, or with one of the ministry’s private sector partners.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Danny Johnson said: “The ministry will seek to employ as many young persons as possible in its summer programme, which is unique, and varies from the standard programme as it not only offers the opportunity for employment to some of our youth, but also provides wholesome activities for children through its youth, sports and culture camps.”

Camps will be held throughout New Providence and the Family Islands and unlike many of the private camps offered during the summer, there will be no tuition or registration fees.

The camps, designed by the ministry’s Sports Department, are intended to provide recreation for the participants through a diversity of physical activities.

Camps being offered include baseball, swimming, basketball, karate, boxing, soccer, cheerleading/gymnastics, lawn tennis and track and field.

The predominant venue of the Sports Programme is the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre and the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. These camps will be complemented by approved camps dispersed throughout New Providence.

This year a new feature is the inclusion of Jeff Rodgers, who will assist the sports department by co-ordinating specialised basketball camps on five community parks.

These parks are the Bacardi Road Park, Christie Park, Pinewood Park, Mason’s Addition Park and Kemp Road Park.

“I should point out that the Jeff Rodgers Basketball Camps will not only focus on basketball, but will also give attention to the physical, spiritual and mental development of the campers, and it will also teach them life skills, which include conflict resolution and the fostering of positive self-esteem,” said Dr Johnson.

Some of the coaches, renowned NBA players and former players to participate in this year’s camp will include: Mychal “Sweet Bells” Thompson; his son Klay Thompson, who is a starter with the Golden State Warriors; Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues; Coach Byron Scott; Kyrie Irving Jr with the Cleveland Cavaliers; and Wally Jones, an executive 
of the Miami Heat and a 
representative of Nike Sports.

This group will be supplemented by two international college coaches.

The Cultural Affairs Division will continue its camps in New Providence and several of the Family Islands.

Programmes in New Providence will focus on dance, musical theatre, drumming, circus and theatre/drama. At the conclusion of the programme the public will have an opportunity to actually see what the participants learned when they showcase their talent at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

The Youth Division of this ministry will hold a number of exciting camps that are expected to be both entertaining and enlightening. The nine general camps will be complemented by special programmes offered within the camps for young people ages eight to 15.

The camps will be held Monday-Friday from 9am to 1pm at the following schools: Columbus Primary, Uriah McPhee, TA Thompson Junior High, RM Bailey High, Palmdale Primary, Garvin Tynes Primary, Doris Johnson High and Carlton Francis Primary.

A diverse range of programmes will be offered at the camps and they will include crafting, growing personal herb gardens, personal money management, first aid and safety and communications.

The youth division will also host 10 speciality camps for participants aged 10-15 years.

These are serious art- for aspiring artist; rake ‘n scrape; creative expression; beauty and haircutting; food glorious food; music; science; multi media arts; artisan crafting and the environment.

Applications for all camps and for the summer employment programme can be downloaded from the government’s official website: http://www.bahamas.gov.bs.