Case Western Reserve University will host participants in the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) on campus June 5 through July 7.
Operated out of the Division of Student Affairs, NYSP is a five-week instructional program that uses sports participation and competition to promote active and healthy lifestyles, enhance self-esteem, encourage respect for oneself and others, and reinforce the importance of education.
NYSP serves approximately 500 children, ages 10 through 16, from the Greater Cleveland community every summer. In addition to physical and educational programming, the program provides health screenings to every enrolled participant in partnership with CWRU’s medical and nursing schools.
“The great thing about NYSP is that it’s not just a sports program,” said NYSP Director Dennis Harris. “We have math and science programming; we have dietary and health instruction; we expose students to career and educational opportunities that are available on a college campus utilizing CWRU’s staff and facilities—and then we show them how all these things go hand-in-hand.”
In 1970, CWRU became one of the first universities in the country to launch NYSP through a government grant launched by the Congressional Black Caucus and Cleveland Congressman Louis Stokes. Widely viewed as a model among its peers, the CWRU program has provided thousands of local children with enriching summer experiences.
Though national funding and federal budget support was eliminated in 2006, CWRU has maintained its program through philanthropic and public support, and nominal fees.
“NYSP is of critical importance to the community,” said Harris. “We must work together to create opportunities for students to practice leadership, teamwork and communication skills; and to provide a safe environment for them to learn, play and grow.”
Parents can register their children for the program today (June 2) from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Adelbert Gym.
The program costs $70 per child for residents of Cleveland and $160 per child for non-residents. Aftercare costs $85 per child.
Learn more about the camp and registration at students.case.edu/community/outreach/sports/registration.html.