The Mary and Frances Youth Center Closes Discovery Program
The MFYC will instead streamline staff and space resources to further invest in the youth center’s award-winning Lobs & Lessons summer program.
For more than 20 years, Virginia Commonwealth University has offered the Discovery summer camp program. The Mary and Frances Youth Center (MFYC) provided the camp for seven years, but will no longer be offering the STEAM-H program. The MFYC will instead streamline staff and space resources to further invest in the youth center’s award-winning Lobs & Lessons summer program.
The Discovery program served approximately 150 middle school students from the greater Richmond area each summer. The camp engaged VCU faculty members, university students and local professionals to provide in-depth experiences in science, technology, engineering, arts and health sciences in a college setting, featuring VCU and VCU Health classrooms and laboratories.
“We are so thankful to everyone who partnered with us over the years to offer the Discovery program to middle school youth in Richmond,” said Tina Carter, MFYC director. “Providing safe, enriching experiences to youth in Richmond remains a key priority for our center, and we look forward to continuing to partner with the community to meet the needs of area youth, especially during the critical out-of-school hours.”
Parents with middle schoolers will still be able to participate in summer opportunities at MFYC. The Lobs & Lessons summer program offers tennis, swimming, outdoor adventure games and healthy lifestyle activities for rising first through twelfth graders. The camp is designed for new, beginner and intermediate tennis players and includes teambuilding and swimming. Weekly Lobs & Lessons camps are offered from late June through July and cost approximately $225 per week, with scholarships available. Registration will open March 16.
The MFYC serves more than 800 youth in the Richmond metro area through programming and training initiatives at its state-of-the-art center along West Cary Street that features two private tennis courts.
For more information, contact Rachel Rhoney, MFYC assistant director, at rhoneyrb@vcu.edu.
Categories Mary and Frances Youth Center