The Sacred Heart Greenwich Summer Outreach Program commemorated 30 years of creativity, collaboration, and service last summer.  The camp took place from June 28 to July 30 and offered both academic and athletic enrichment for students in Fairfield and Westchester counties.  The theme of Summer Outreach this year was “Brighter Days and More Ways to Shine,” which reflects the program’s commitment to providing new opportunities to local students. 

Mrs. Lisa Lyons Young, Director of Summer Outreach and After-School Programs, oversaw the camp this summer.  When Mrs. Lyons Young joined the program in 2003, there were 100 children enrolled in the camp.  Now participation has grown to 260 kids, ranging from ages seven to 13. 

Students take core classes such as math, science, English, and history.  The camp also offers a collection of extracurricular activities, including physical education, broadcast journalism, coding, art, and reading.

Mrs. Lyons Young has served as the Director of Summer Outreach for 18 years.  Her responsibilities include finding teachers in the area, managing student volunteers, and running the daily activities schedule.  Reflecting on her many years of service, Mrs. Lyons Young spoke about the ways that Summer Outreach positively influences students.

“Within my 18 years as the director, I’ve had a couple of students participate in the program who then return as a volunteers and later become workers, whether it be a lifeguard, computer instructor, or a certified teacher,” Mrs. Lyons Young said.  “It makes me feel that the program has truly made an impact on their lives and they are invested in it.”

Junior Advika Dushyanth volunteered in the Summer Outreach program this year.  She worked in the David J. Bloom Broadcast Suite helping students in the broadcast journalism elective develop filmmaking and editing skills.  Advika discussed the reason she feels that the experience was beneficial to the students.  

“As I volunteered in the broadcast journalism class, the kids showed so much excitement and passion for learning and participating,” Advika said.  “I think this program was really fun and beneficial for the kids as it was designed to fit the interests of each individual child.  I think this program is really important because it inspired curiosity and a desire to learn within the kids, allowing them to take more away from this summer experience.”

At the end of the program, Summer Outreach students, volunteers, and faculty compiled videos of summer activities to show parents in celebration of its anniversary.  Students also learned about the origins and growth of the program.  Mrs. Lyons Young explained the importance of commemorating the camp’s 30 year anniversary.

“It is amazing to think that those first students, 30 years ago, are adults and now have children enrolled in the program,” Mrs. Lyons Young said. “What better way to display the strength of the program, the staff, the school, the volunteers, and the families we serve by acknowledging the 30 years.”

Featured image by Olivia Caponiti ’23