Well, it’s summer at CCAC again.  You can tell by all the kids that are at the center.  Some come at 8 am to start work with SYEP (the summer youth employment program for kids that the City of Los Angeles sponsors). We have about 75 youth working out of our center.  Some are placed at the childcare centers in Echo Park, others are at the Methodist Church and Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic and the rest work at the center.  Most of the kids who work at the center are painting out graffiti and sprucing up Echo Park and some are working in the office for Gloria and other staff.

Besides working with the kids, we planned another Summer of Fun for our younger ones.  We started off by having a great and profitable weekend at the Lotus Festival.  So far we have been bowling, swimming, attended movies, had a few beach trips and even went fishing.  We really thought Josie caught a big one when they pulled out the hook and gigantic net.  Even though, it took a while to reel the fish in, the poor little halibut was thrown back into the sea (it was too small).  Oh well, she had a good fishing story to tell her friends and family.

One hot day, we went ice-skating.  Even Anna tried to slide around on the ice!  The kids loved ice-skating.  Along with the extra trips we plan in the summer, the kids still have to do homework, work in the computer lab and help keep the center clean.

The youth, along with their counselors are planning to hold a rummage sale to make money for a trip to Santa Barbara.  That will be the finale for the summer.  There are still a lot of trips and activities planned for the rest of the summer.  Some of these will include a trip to the Music Center, a tour of the train station and a ride on the blue line and hiking.  The kids really enjoy climbing hills, mountains, and just taking walks in the forests.