SRU programs teach youth to be active, healthy
SLIPPERY ROCK — Children ages 8 to 18 got to experience an outdoor education — all the while getting fit — at summer camps recently concluded on the Slippery Rock University campus.
Steve Roberts, 49, of Mercer and Brian Mortimer, 37, of Butler run the Youth Outdoor Adventure/Environmental Education Camp and the ARC Kid's Morning Fun and Fit Camp at SRU's Aebersold Student Recreation Center.
Both camps ran from June 29 to early July.
"We want to give any youth who wants to come a good outdoor education experience to help get them get fit and develop lifetime healthy skills," Roberts said. "And teach them safety so they don't go up to McConnells Mill and go climbing on a clothes line instead of a climbing rope."
Roberts, the coordinator of SRU Outdoor Adventure and Sport Clubs, has worked at the ARC for 23 years and has run the Outdoor Adventure Camp for at least 10 years.
He said Outdoor Adventure went to McConnells Mill for rock climbing and hiking, Moraine State Park to hike beaches and talk about geology, Connellsville for caving and to the Jennings Environmental Education Center. A professor also taught the children about meteorology and clouds, and each day ended with swimming in the ARC's pool.
Mortimer has been coordinator of Wellness/Russell Wright Fitness Center for the past 10 years. He manages the student-employee exercise specialists, group fitness, equipment maintenance, perk programs and the Pay to Play programs.
He said this is the first year for Fun and Fit, and the camp used the ARC's fitness center, indoor climbing wall and pool to play wiffle ball, dodgeball, kick ball, deck hockey, badminton and water polo, among other activities.
"We decided to run kids summer groups because it's a good recruiting tool for the school, and it just made sense to get community youth involved," Roberts said.
Mortimer explained the goal of the camps is to keep children active, providing a snack break midway through the day.
"In my profession, obesity is a huge problem in the United States of America for adolescents and young adults," he said. "So this is a great way for them to have formal activity, but, at the same time, fun. They aren't sitting on the couch and doing nothing."
Alyssa Barrett, 18, of Slippery Rock was a member of the Outdoor Adventure Camp. Her family already has an ARC pass, but this was the first year she attended the camp. She enjoyed it because she said it was fun and she learned a lot."My friend was doing it and said I should come, and I did," Barrett said. "I really wanted to go caving, too. It seemed really fun."Aside from caving, Barrett enjoyed birding, where the group learned to recognize birds by their appearance and calls."You wouldn't think it would be that fun, but it actually turned out to be pretty neat."The Outdoor Adventure Camp cost $140 for nonmembers of ARC and $100 for members. The Morning Fun and Fit Camp cost $80 for nonmembers and $65 for members.Roberts emphasized the importance of all family members becoming more physically active. He said an ARC day pass during the week costs $5 per family member. But for families who cannot reach SRU, Mortimer suggested sports balls as a way for parents to spend time with their children."I know parents work, but as soon as I get home, my kids (who are 3 and 5 years old) are begging me to take them out walking to see if other kids are around," he said. "It's really up to the parents and guardians to invite activity."For families who cannot manage that, he suggests calisthenics such as push ups, sit ups and body weight exercises for activity, or buying a Wii and Wii Sports because the games get players up and moving.But if the family or children have their hearts set on larger recreational activities, Roberts said finding the proper instruction under safe conditions is going to be expensive."(Families) will never find (activity programs) that cost as little as ours do," he said. "To find a place to take a kid rock climbing or caving or canoeing is going to be expensive. At some point along the way, they're going to have to get instruction to be safe."
