NOAH runs two youth summer programs: the Schoolyard Summer Program (currently on hold due to the ongoing COVD-19 pandemic) and Children’s/Youth Summer Soccer. Both programs provide children with the opportunity to engage in fun, educational, outdoor activities while simultaneously filling the need for bilingual recreational activities in the community. These programs are especially necessary in East Boston, as the shortage of green and recreational space and a limited number of summer programs means our local children do not have the same opportunities for safe, outdoor, recreational activities as do children in other areas of the City of Boston.
In addition to our children’s summer programs, NOAH hosts a range of free, bilingual family-friendly activities/events throughout the summer, including movie nights and kayaking!
For a more detailed description of our programs, please read below.
Schoolyard Summer Program
NOAH has hosted its O’Donnell Schoolyard Summer Program since 1995 (currently on hold due to the COVD-19 pandemic). The summer day ‘camp’ runs five days a week for seven weeks and provides all attendees with a daily free breakfast and lunch. The program focuses on encouraging children to develop healthy relationships with one another and to resist negative effects of peer pressure, in a multi-cultural, bilingual, and educational environment.
We at NOAH strive to ensure that the Schoolyard Summer Program is both educational and fun! Our daily activities include: arts and crafts, gardening, educational games, environmental activities, sports, learning activities, guest visitors from museums and the fire and police canine units, and more!
Additionally, each summer, we host a multicultural festival to showcase our campers’ unique cultures and talents! These events are extremely popular within the community, and are usually attended by over 200 residents.
Children’s/Youth Soccer
NOAH has proudly sponsored the annual bilingual soccer program at the American Legion Field in East Boston since 2006. Our bilingual soccer program becomes more popular each year, bringing neighborhood residents together for important community-building and physical activity, while helping to preserve one of East Boston’s limited green spaces. Through permits sanctioned by the local government, our program provides an opportunity for our community members – many of whom are immigrants from South and Central America – to engage in this favorite communal sport. Most importantly, this soccer programming encourages East Boston’s youth to practice team-building and healthy physical activity in one of the area’s few recreational spaces.
2023 Children’s/Youth Soccer Information
This free bilingual program begins on July 5, and will be held regularly on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through the summer from 3:00 to 6 PM. It is open to all East Boston children ages 6-12.
We keep a roster of attendees and make sure to obtain parental consent forms for all players, but our program continues to operate under a “drop-in” system. No advance registration is required.
Have any questions? Please contact Manlio Mendez at mmendez@noahcdc.org or 617-418-8242.
Learn to Kayak/Boat Safety Sessions:
Join us at Constitution Beach for free kayaking (no experience necessary). This bilingual program will be start on Friday, July 8, and will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. All ages are welcome, however children under 18 will need a parent/legal guardian to sign a waiver.
For more information, please contact Manlio Mendez at mmendez@noahcdc.org or 617-418-8242.