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Saturday, June 30, 2001
Summer solutions
The National Youth Sports Program offers education, entertainment for students
By Andrea Wall
Caller-Times

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Deontae Richardson, 11, gets her first swimming lesson from Water Safety Instructor Michelle Dennis at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Chants of "NYSP, NYSP," echoed through the Center for Instruction at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Friday morning.
   Nearly 300 kids were packed in a lecture hall, excitedly yelling the name of their new favorite pastime - the National Youth Sports Program.
   "I got to go last year, and came back this year," said Lacreshia Jonescq, 11. "I want to come back every year I can because I have so much fun."
   The National Youth Sports Program is in its second year at A&M-CC, which is one of close to 200 other universities and colleges that participate in the program.
   The NYSP works with local school districts to target low-income students from around 10-16 years of age. Only children invited to participate may do so.
   "We are trying to give economically disadvantaged or at-risk students the opportunity to learn life skills," said John Hernandez, program director. "Hopefully, they will learn the values of hard work and the importance of teamwork."
   The NYSP began after the 1965 Watts riots. The program is an effort to combine and promote athletic know-how and life skills that can bring disadvantaged young people equal opportunities, organizers said.
   Locally, the camp lasts a little over a month and houses the participants six hours a day, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The campers are divided into six groups and participate in different activities daily. One of the six groups, the Sharks, was the first to test the waters of the swimming program.
   Most of the kids were having trouble standing still as the water safety instructors went over the rules, anticipating the swim ahead.
   But 11-year-old Deontae Richardson and nine-year-old Nicholas Lerma weren't jumping at the chance to get their feet wet. This was their first swim lesson.
   "I was a little scared," said Lerma. "But coach Michelle taught me how to float on my stomach and kick my feet, and I am having fun now. I think it won't be long before I really am swimming."

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Dennis works with Nicholas Lerma, 9, at the A&M-CC pool. This is the second year the campus has hosted the national program.

   With the help of a $53,000 federal grant and $9,000 donated by the Port Industries of Corpus Christi, the program offers kids a chance to learn a wealth of sports, along with classes on nutrition, conflict resolution and alcohol and drug prevention, among others. The sports programs range from field hockey and kickball to martial arts and gymnastics.
   Going a step further, A&M-CC set up a scholarship program for the older students of the camp. All of the 16-year-old participants that complete the five-week program and meet the minimum university standards will be given $2,400 once a year, for four years.
   "I am just overwhelmed by this," said JoLynn Hannescq, a junior at A&M-CC and a program swimming instructor. "Just to see how happy these kids are, makes me happy. I already had kids giving me hugs after the first day, and I can't tell you how good that feels."


Contact Andrea Wall at 886.3631 or walla@caller.com

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