As all good things must, the Summer Program has come to an end for the year. Staff and residents gathered today in the auditorium for Summer Celebration; an event to showcase all of the fun things the kids have done and learned in the Summer Enrichment program and to celebrate the accomplishments of the Work Crew. This year, the program started with each of the Summer Enrichment kids showcasing a project. For some, it was singing, for one it was raising money for the Humane Society. One child did a video tutorial of the H&E building on campus, and others set off bottle rockets that they had been working on in the baseball diamond. One fun new activity for the kids this year was called “Pound” where they practiced finding rhythms in music and kept in time with objects like pool noodles, buckets, and balls. After their demonstrations, a microphone was passed around, and each child said what their favorite part of Summer Enrichment was. Things like “water park,” “watching Moana,” “swimming,” and “researching how engines work,” were mentioned but the overwhelming majority of them said that they enjoyed all of the reading that they had done. Every summer the National Home’s kids participate in Schuller’s Summer Reading Program, where they earn points for reading books and can redeem them at the end of the summer for gift cards to use in Schuller book stores. They are looking forward to that trip next week! There was an overview of the 4H season given by staff members Nancy and Ashleigh. The pigs that we have been getting from MSU have been especially easy to work with, and this year the kids were able to walk them from the pig barn along the back road almost to the pond! Read about 4H in our previous blog. As is tradition, Brian Lorente, the head of Work Crew gave out his annual awards. Unique and funny awards that always come with a story like the “Mayo Award,” “Mr. Reliable,” the “Sleeper Award,” and “CEO Award.” This summer, Work Crew worked on a lot of projects like sealing the deck by the Scout Cabin at the fishing pond, painting curbs, and fire hydrants, and clearing out and landscaping behind the Community Center. All and all, another great wrap up to a productive and educational summer season! Thank you to all of the staff who help make summer a time of learning and growth for our kids here at the National Home. To view more photos of the Work Crew’s summer see the flickr album here. To view photos of their Life Skills Trip click here. To view photos of the Summer Enrichment Program click here.