Summer fun with students
Hawk Quest birds of prey educational program visited Buffalo Ridge Elementary school this summer with demonstrations and educational activities for kids attending the summer Before and After School Enrichment program.
Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) School’s before and after program is thriving and this summer was no exception. The Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) program hosted 45-60 kids each day, running from late May to early August. Students arrived as early as 7:00 a.m. and stayed as late as 5:30 p.m.
The calendar was full of exciting field trips and fun, in-school activities. Field trip activities included a Colorado Rockies game, swimming, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, a trip to Skate City and Boondocks, to name a few.
In-school activities included Chef for a Day cooking kits, a bouncy house, pirate day, an escape room, wheels day (with bikes and scooters), a mobile video game truck and a birds of prey demonstration.
“We got to see birds of prey up close and a falcon fly,” said BASE manager Paul Brandt. “It was amazing.”
The BASE program has been running at BRE for two decades, with Paul at the helm for the past eight years. It is a popular summer option for families when daytime childcare is a challenge. It is so popular that the full summer registration completely fills up within just a few minutes.
BASE is also available during the school year. School hours are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. BASE has previously had open enrollment for kids who do not attend BRE, but due to the increased demand, it is currently only open to students enrolled at BRE.
For more information, email paul.brandt@dcsdk12.org.
Buffalo Ridge Elementary school students harness up for fun at Boondocks during a Before and After Care enrichment field trip this summer.
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Paul Brandt
