Summer Break with BCCA
This summer has been packed with surprises for our children!
In between field trips and visitors for Storytime, our students took full advantage of our expanded outdoor area to beat the heat. Jonathan led our school-age group in an all-out water experience, including a snake sprinkler and foam squirt blasters!
Our school-age students ventured out to Bee’s Arts and Crafts Studio. Each child chose their own special project. Isaac decided to work on a train, adding all of his favorite colors, while Melissa painted a ceramic M to decorate her bedroom!
In July, our school-age students took a trip to the Long Island Aquarium. They had a great time learning about the different kinds of seals, especially watching the grey seal and Western Atlantic Harbor seal play with their toys!
Anna House had two visits from Platinum Plus Mobile Gaming. First, a laser tag tournament for our school-age students was set up in our brand-new school-age playground! Each round was more competitive than the last, and our students excelled in their communication and teamwork skills. Then, we had a visit from the Game truck and Glam truck! Everyone had a chance to play their favorite video games, practice their skills on new games, and pamper themselves with a manicure. The day didn’t end until everyone celebrated with a pizza party lunch!
As our needs grow year after year, we expand our programs! Faith’s House, which just completed its third year of operation, addressed the need and offered a new school-age program during the summer race meet. Prior to opening this past summer, BCCA worked to make the necessary modifications, license a school-age classroom, and create a second playground for our school-age students at Faith’s House.
BCCA’s Storytime continued this summer at both Anna House and Faith’s House. Chris Carpenter, former professional baseball player, Pam Abrams, BCCA Advisory Board Member and author, and Maggie Wolfendale Morley, NYRA Racing Analyst, stopped in to read at Faith’s House.
Our children at Anna House received Storytime visits from our very first graduate, Jonathan, as well as Xochilt, one of our earliest graduates, and Javier Castellano, Hall of Fame Jockey and Winner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes.
Our children at Faith’s House also benefitted from our partnership with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Along with their families, they were given tickets to see the New York City Ballet perform three classics: Swan Lake, Fancy Free, and Firebird, and experience the Philadelphia Orchestra perform “Earth: An HD Odyssey”.
The new school year has officially begun, and we are so excited to watch our students thrive in new environments and teach us new things!