Summer is in full swing in Charlottesville, and the IRC Youth Team has been actively engaging students with fun, learning, and community building. We kicked off the summer season with the Student Recognition event where 57 students were recognized for outstanding academic performance and citizenship. Students and their families were invited to come together in celebration of all their hard work throughout the school year. The event featured fun activities including a bouncy house, face painting, henna art, an art and chalk station, and a soccer game.  

Since the celebration, summer festivities have continued mixing fun with academically enriching opportunities. In June, a group of 10 students enjoyed a day playing mini golf at the Putt-Putt Fun Center in Charlottesville. Later that month, 12 students explored Monticello and participated in the Piedmont Virginia Community College expo for the Starr Hill Pathways Summer Camp. The Starr Hill program provides students with opportunities to explore different career paths and students get to showcase their knowledge at the annual expo. 

July began with a guided tour of Piedmont Virginia Community College for 12 students followed by a community picnic at Washington Park. We then hit the road for Richmond, taking 17 students to visit the Science Museum of Virginia. Highlights from the trip included the Live Universe Exploration dome show, a Liquid Nitrogen Live Demo, The Ultimate Dinosaur Exhibit, and an exciting game of rat basketball demonstrated by museum staff and their critter athletes! 

This summer, the IRC Charlottesville Youth Team has been stepping up to the plate to give students a welcoming space where they can belong. Whether it is through mini-golf or college visits, the team is providing a meaningful space for young people to build community, explore new experiences, and envision the many possibilities ahead of them in their new home.