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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-05-28 Page 1 of 9 draft Dryden Recreation and Youth Commission May 28, 2014 Members present: Stephanie Mulinos (Chair), Vicki Wilkins, Steve Meyer and Tom Fuchs Town Board Member: Joe Solomon Conservation Liaison: Rick Ryan (Conservation Board) The meeting was called to order at 7PM. 1. Review and approval of minutes from April 23rd. No quorum 2. Addition or alteration to the Agenda: None 3. Introduction of Guests: Rick Ryan from the Conservation Board 4. Report from the Town Board: None 5. Program Reports: see attached 6. Old Business: Youth Needs Assessment: S. Mulinos and K. Bennett have discussed the Assessment. They are planning on doing the youth part of the assessment in the fall due to the lack of time left in the school year. S. Mulinos contacted three groups at the school: the Honor society, Rachel’s Challenge and the Student Government. Only one group has gotten back to her. V. Wilkins pointed out that the three groups above are select groups. S. Mulinos said they are going to talk to the OURS and YOURS program participants as well as Dave Hall’s programs. S. Mulinos said we have to decide how to reach out to the stakeholders as well. T. Fuchs asked what age group we are targeting. Are they all labeled “at risk” or are they all middle school age or all teens? S. Mulinos explained that we are targeting the groups that don’t necessarily attend recreation programs through the Town. The money that the State and County provides has to be used in youth services. The DRYC has the task of determining the best way to apply that money. The assessment will help determine which programs are succeeding and which need more funds. Most of the programs funded are the OURS and YOURS programs and the programs that Dave Hall runs. T. Fuchs asked how the DRYC conducted the survey before. S. Mulinos said we have never surveyed the youth before, we have concentrated on parents and stakeholders. That is why this process is tough, we don’t have prior experience. S. Meyer asked if the revised copy of the questions that we are asking the youth has been distributed. S. Mulinos shared the revised draft based on the recommendations of the group. See attached. Page 2 of 9 draft J. Solomon asked about whether we are only targeting DRCS students. S. Mulinos said that yes, although it is not the most encompassing, we don’t have the resources available to limit the participants to only Dryden residents. J. Solomon then asked about the students that are from Dryden but may attend another school such as Ithaca Schools. S. Mulinos pointed out that, again, we simply do not have the resources to ensure that those asked are Dryden youth. It is not a matter of money as much as it is related to the limited time the members of the DRYC have available. R. Ryan asked if failure to complete the assessment will result in a loss of funding. S. Mulinos said that it probably won’t because the County and State funding have dwindled so much that they almost don’t count. However, the assessment is part of the expectation. Community Grants Recommendations: The Town Board did approve the recommendations and Jennifer Jones (the new Recreation Director) is sending out the award letters. Program Monitoring Assignments: Rural Youth Services Dave Tracy Nikki – OURS Tracy Nikki – Youth Empl Stephanie Community Grants Jr. Fire Academy Steve Music (Café) Tracy Wrestling Vicki Library Tom EHCC/VCC Stephanie S. Meyer asked about having access to the applications associated with the program that the members are monitoring. S. Mulinos said she would send around all of the applications and then each member can review the one they are monitoring. New member application: The Commission has received an application from Kathy Gehring; she is interested in being a member of the Commission. Supervisor Sumner has indicated that the Town Board does not need a formal vote and recommendation from the DRYC, a general recommendation will suffice. S. Mulinos passed around Kathy Gehring’s application and all members are favorable to her joining. Common Grant program The group decided that they will use the Common Grant program for both the Community Grants and the Youth Development Programs. The site is all set up and the folks that are applying are familiar with the program as well. Rick Ryan Mr. Ryan agreed to be a liaison to the DRYC from the Conservation Board. Jim Schug Trail/ Dryden Trail Page 3 of 9 draft Tompkins County has a trail plan for 2020. The Jim Schug trail is part of the County plan. The game farm area, which is part of the Dryden Trail, will be part of the County program. Mr. Ryan has talked with Tom Knight at the County planning department and tourism. They will be meeting in the beginning of June to discuss plans and to find out what information they have that we can get out to the Dryden public including the beauty of the trail, the benefit to downtown businesses, etc. The Conservation Board is also working on a trail map brochure with QR codes for more information regarding particular areas. There is a trail map on-line but this will be a physical map that you can take with you as you walk. Mr. Ryan showed the DRYC the current Jim Schug trail and explained the trail goal and the problems that they are facing, for example the Game Farm section. He is interested in raising awareness of the trail and is trying to get the public involved. He said he is hoping to get the facebook page going again and have people send in pictures, etc to reach the general public. He thinks a survey of the Town would be beneficial, questions like how often do you use the trail, do you walk your dog on the trail, etc. V. Wilkins reminded Mr. Ryan that one of the benefits of the trail as it is now, is the ADA compliance. It is accessible for all people. She said that her class put together a tool to assess the accessibility of the trails and she is planning on using it this summer. She asked to be part of the trail planning. The Commission asked to be kept in the loop and thanked Mr. Ryan for his efforts. Open Space Plan R. Ryan said that the Conservation Board sees open space as a three-tiered, over lapping diagram between agriculture, conservation and recreation. T. Fuchs asked what the goal of the Open Space plan was. R. Ryan responded that the goal is to preserve the rural character of the Town and to promote outdoor living and nature. It is not intended to tell anyone what they have to do but is simply a plan to help guide the Town. T. Fuchs asked if the Town knows what percentage of the Town is considered Open Space now. He asked if the goal was to keep a percentage of the Town as Open Space the same as it is now or at another percentage. R. Ryan responded that the Town doesn’t yet know how much is open space and that is part of the research for the plan. J. Solomon asked if the group can use Common Grant program for a survey? The consensus among this group was that they are considering several options for getting the desired information. The group is considering an extra couple meetings with 2-3 stakeholders per meeting and they agreed that the summer might be a good time to get the other groups out of the way instead of waiting until the fall. There being no further business, the meeting ended at 8:45PM. Respectfully Submitted, Page 4 of 9 draft Erin A. Bieber Deputy Town Clerk Draft questions for 2014 DRYC Youth Needs Assessment: Youth Component 1. What are the 3 best things about Dryden/your community? 2. If you could change 3 things about Dryden/your community to make it a better place for young people, what would they be? 3. On a scale of 1 to 10, (10 is best), how do you rate Dryden/your community’s … a. Availability of parks and recreation space b. Availability of employment opportunities for young people c. Availability of supervised after-school/weekend activities for young people d. Opportunities for young people to be involved in the community e. Availability of places for young people to hang out f. Response to issues involving young people 4. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is best), how safe do you feel: a. In school? b. At home? c. In your community? 5. Which of the following, if any, do you feel are a significant problem facing young people in Dryden? a. Drug/alcohol use b. Violence c. Bullying d. Racial, ethnic or gender discrimination e. Other______________________ 6. Have you ever wanted to participate in a program in Dryden/your community but not been able to because of… a. Cost b. Transportation c. Not offered at convenient time d. Need to work/watch my siblings e. Didn’t know what was available (lack of information) Page 5 of 9 draft 7. Are there services, activities, programming, or other opportunities not available in Dryden for people your age that you wish were available? If yes, what are they? 8. How do you learn about programs and activities for young people? a. Friends b. Parents c. School d. Other ____________________________________________ 9. How old are you? 10. What grade are you in? 11. How long have you lived in Dryden? a. 1 year or less b. 2-5 years c. 6-10 years d. 11+ years Dryden OURS Report Mid April – May 2014 Nikki Nease, OURS Youth Program Manager Summary: Since the End of the Semester Celebration in early May, attention has been focused on specialized programming for MITs, reporting for grants we’ve been working under for the past two semesters, acquainting incoming YOURS eboard members with the goals for future programming (through extensive reflection on the past program year and the steps of intended progress), and moving forward with Youth Employment job placements. At the recent Celebration, mentor-mentee pairs spent an epic last Monday of the semester with several creatively structured opportunities to commemorate their year-long experience together. The superlative-awards had become old hat, since they’ve been granted to mentees several times over the past few Ending Celebrations; so special recognition was given, instead, to graduating YOURS Mentors and Program Coordinators. It was a chance for youth to applaud and give thanks to the dedicated volunteer efforts that help shape their favorite programs. 2014, Spring, Monday Mentoring (37 Participants, 36 returning, 1 new) Goals for the future of Monday Mentoring include the development of a series of Mentor- Trainings, set to include self-guided "tracks", for mentors to follow based on their personal Page 6 of 9 draft strengths and areas for improvement. Fall semester trainings will be set at the site of programming and will focus on assets based learning, relationship building and strengthening bonds, creating a culture of appreciation, and training mentors to consistently use positive reinforcement techniques to motivate learners and encourage successful behavior. With an overnight adventure at Camp Oswegatchie in the Adirondack Mountains, MITs were awarded for their commitment to intentional role-modeling and following through with their MIT Projects. Thanks to a grant from Cornell’s Community Partnership Board, 11 Youth strengthened their team building skills, pushed their limits while literally “rising” to the occasion on high-ropes courses, kayaked and canoed for the first time, and shared in the group responsibilities inherent in the camp-experience. 2014, Spring, MITs (13 Particpiants, 6 Returning, 7 New) In direct response to the increasing discussion of sexual topics amongst the eldest of OURS, a small group of female participants traveled together to Cornell for an enlightening presentation by a Sexual Health Education Group that is well-respected by their peers on campus. Popular myths about sexual health were dispelled and teens were empowered to make informed decisions regarding healthy relationships, the importance of STI testing, good communication with partners as well as parents, self-respect, mutual respect, and over all personal health and caretaking was enforced. After expressing interest in seeing their favorite mentors graduate, a small group of MITs attended the Commencement Ceremony for Cornell’s Psychology Department. Low and behold, the outgoing YOURS President was granted an award for her community service with OURS and as we merely intended to support our graduates, we became the representatives of our program and the entire congregation acknowledged our presence and made us feel really special! We hope to hear you cheering us on at the Ithaca Festival Parade this Thursday, May 29th, as Project TAG-IT participants express to their fellow community that they are “Above” the negative influences they recently identified as challenging in their lives, such as bullying, self- harm, and peer-pressure. Dryden OURS Report Mid April – May 2014- CONTINUED For the first time, the Tuesday Leadership Council will continue through the Summer months! YOURS Program Coordinators are sticking around this season and excited to help lead us through our community service learning component of the Tech Wizards Project; expansion of the OURS Forest Garden at 4H Acres, partnering with the CCETC’s Master-Gardening Program to renovate and beautify the feral gardens around Kiwanis Hall, learning new skills from local experts and building a better 4H Acres! 2014, Spring, Tuesday Leadership Council (16 Participants, 13 returning, 3 new) The Thursday Literacy Program for 7, 8, and 9 year olds, will also continue throughout the Summer months! Recent Cornell-graduate, Jillian Strayhorn, a long-time literacy tutor and advocate for a unique literacy program developed by her father, Joseph M. Strayhorn, Jr., M.D, only intended to train our volunteers to implement her fathers program, but when she simply fell in love with OURS, she began volunteering as a tutor and program leader twice weekly! She and 2014, Spring, Nitty Gritty Thursdays (22 Participants, All New) Page 7 of 9 draft her sister (also a skilled mentor and tutor) will join us for 8 weeks this summer to keep up the progression of literacy skill-building that is really gaining momentum in OURS! The second session of this program, that was recently tailored to serve as the newly created, age based pathway for OURS participants, included a multitude of Friday events: The Cornell Drama club led OURS through a series of acting exercises and improvisational activities that were a hoot! Definitely an experience that added to our bag of tricks for repeatable, engaging activities! Youth participated in a team-building relay race, and joined forces with a Cornellian dance troupe and an a cappella group during the last three sessions. I recently sent a detailed list of potential Friday Program themes, and the new coordinators will choose two themes/semester for the future OURS 10 and 11 year old participants. 2014, Spring, Fridays: The second half of semester (11 Participants, All New) 9 Youth Employment Participants attended an interview-skills training at the Dryden high-school last week. Those who were unable to attend, included athletes, George Junior and New Roots students, and everyone received their folders through another avenue. Together we examined a list of 20 typical interview questions, and discussed how to practice and prepare for an interview. Students received packets of information regarding their future job-placements and payroll paperwork and interviews are underway! Please see the attached list of participating job-sites, as well as the detailed description for the Camp Earth Connection site, a position for which I take special pride in helping to create. 2014 Dryden Youth Employment (20 Participants, All New) Dryden Youth Programs Youth Report 4/23/2014 David Hall 1) Get Lost Finished Programs A: Participants: 11 B: Get Lost helps youth to feel more at home and comfortable in the woods by introducing age old navigation techniques that are independent of modern gear such as GPS units, smart phones or even the map and compass. This crew did amazingly well as we tested theories about how to get un-lost and stay on track. We travelled to Hammond Hill Stat Forest and put our skills to the test. We learned and practiced 3 object sighting, long distance sighting, creek walking as well as blazing. After thoroughly testing and practicing our skills I purposely got our group lost as a final challenge. I am proud to say that they did fantastic and as a group made it back to the parking area. This program encourages teamwork, critical thinking along with a healthy exercise. 2) Iron Chef – Sessions 1 & 2 A: Participants: 14 & 8 B: Iron Chef encourages teamwork and creativity by grouping up participants to create dishes from common ingredients. Each team is encouraged to share ideas and ultimately present a Page 8 of 9 draft unique meal that integrates all of the provided food. Participants are judge not only on creativity, teamwork and presentation but on cleanup and the “heat factor” (meaning is everything that is supposed to be hot when presented to the judge actually hot.). I could run this program all the time. It has become a true participant favorite. One student, who was a first time participant of my afterschool programs, turned to me 15 minutes into the afternoon and said “ Dave, your so much fun” I asked her what she meant and she said that “ In school they tell you what to do and here we get to be creative.” There definitely is something very exciting when I reveal the ingredients and each team starts to put their collective heads together as they decide what they are going to do. 3) Primitive Pursuits –Session 1 A: Participants: 17 B: My first session of spring Primitive Pursuits finished up with a feast. We cooked dandelion/wild leek fritters and learn to cook eggs by the fire. I have had many firsts this spring. First fires for new participants as well as first crafts such as cordage, baskets and traps were all part of the daily experience. One student told me that he felt like he had changed since he started doing Primitives stating that “I feel closer to nature”. This is one of my primary goals with this program so it was nice to hear this comment. 1) Monday Makers Ongoing Programs A: Participants: 12 B: Monday Makers is a youth-inspired program, meaning that all that we do comes from ideas within the group. This planning encourages thinking about logistics, cost and practicality. The planning process also encourages a bit of compromise as well as creativity. Our recent meetings have led us on outdoor adventures. At my groups request we went on a creek hike exploring the drainage along the Jim Shug trail. We also went to the Park Preserve, hiking to the hidden waterfall. My group has a few strong personalities which have required me to have some “huddle ups” about being polite and controlling behavior. Overall things are going well with some necessary “growing up” happening. 2) Primitive Pursuits – Session 2 A: Participants: 17 B: Primitive Pursuits teaches youth the basics of wilderness survival, nature awareness and stewardship. Through challenges, games and activities, participants learn critical skills such as how to stay warm, create a matchless fire, procure safe water and find food. As time and circumstances permit we introduce crafts such as cordage making, basketry and bow making. The spring is a very busy time for primitive skills. Many new edible plants are growing, birds are nesting and the bark is pealing. We harvested the bark off of a basswood tree last week which will be retted for later use as cordage material. We have also been working on the age old art of folded bark basket production. This seasonal craft allows for the construction of baskets that can be built as storage baskets or constructed larger for packs. 3) Community Helpers A: Participants: 11 Page 9 of 9 draft B: Community Helpers gets our youth involved with service projects that better their school and community. Once again we are getting involved with the Dryden Sustainability Club and will help with their garden and the upcoming greenhouse build. In addition to community service this program gets kids learning by doing. We will be using hand tools to build raised garden beds. As engineering issues are being solved in regards to the greenhouse project my group has helped in the expansion of the Sustainability Club garden. My kids are learning what it takes to get something accomplished as they learn to work with simple tools. 4) Lunch Bunch A: Participants: 41 B: Lunch Bunch provides a positive outlet for students during their lunch period. I transitioned out of my Teen Challenges program which ended several weeks ago and provided a new permission form for the spring. I did this because of the popularity of my in-school programming. Groups became too large and a bit of a crowd control issue. With my new, smaller groups it is easier to focus on teambuilding activities and really get to know my participants. This program provides an outlet for students to try new things in a safe setting. It encourages teamwork, creative thinking and getting active. We have been outside now that spring has sprung. Being out in the grass is so therapeutic for everyone as we play new games, Frisbee and socialize with friends. 5) Adventure Club A: Participants: 8 B: I am planning a 4 day/3 night canoe trip after school lets out. My group, invite only, is getting together 2 afternoons to help in the planning process. We will be going over gear, logistics and possibly some canoe technique. Our plan is to travel to Lows Lake in the Adirondacks which is a primitive wilderness area which doesn’t allow motor boats or float planes. 6) Fun with Frisbees A: Participants: 9 B: Fun with Frisbees encourages youth to try something new and fun. Learning to play Frisbee asks kids to pay attention to detail, try, try again and have fun. As skills improve we have been able to increase the difficulty of the games we play. We started with Frisbee bocce and then tried our hand at a big game of Ultimate. This program ensures that everyone goes home having had a good dose of exercise and fun. I am seeing technique improve from week to week which helps participants enjoy Frisbee games more and more. Upcoming Programs Summer Skies - Please go to our website at - http://ccetompkins.org/4h/rural-youth- services/dryden