Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NEDERLAND — For more than 40 years, Nederland Independent School District has hosted a summer recreation program designed to keep children and teens active once the school year ends.

The program starts June 6 and runs through June 30 for all school-aged kids (must be entering at least first grade). Registration for the program is held from 8 a.m. to noon June 3. There is no cost to register.

Parents are required to sign a waiver and all students must be picked up by 11:45 a.m.

Elementary school students report C.O. Wilson Middle School from 8-11:45 a.m., while middle school students go to Central Middle School for the same time frame.

Middle school kids can also go with high school students to the high school weight room, which will be open from 9-11 a.m. and from 1-7 p.m. Participants will use the grade the child is entering to determine which campus they go to.

“This is a program to get kids out of the house and get them some exercise,” Program Director Brian English said. “We want them to get involved in different sports. It is free to the community and has been around for a long time. We play some volleyball, basketball, kickball and all kinds of good stuff.”

English said the program is a good opportunity to get kids away from video games.

Nederland Athletic Director Monte Barrow participated in the program as a kid, worked it as a student and was the director for a few years.

“I think it offers a lot of good,” he said. “It keeps kids engaged in activity and helps them learn the movement of the body. I think it is a real plus for young people to have that opportunity during the summer time to stay active.”

The program also employees students to help run the activities. Each campus will have multiple coaches or other district employees running the program, but high school students gain valuable experience, too.

“They have high school students that are typically athletes who help out,” Barrow said. “They lead the kids in the different activities. It gives them an opportunity to show some leadership. At the same time, they get to know those young kids and those kids get to know the student athletes that they watched on the court or on the field during the season. It is a neat thing.”

Parents have the opportunity to purchase a t-shirt during registration.