Facility opens doors to youths

     With the school year in full swing, many parents are in need of after-school options for their children.

      The Whitney Ranch Recreation/Aquatics Complex, 1575 S. Galleria Drive, officially opened Aug. 26 to provide parents with those options through Children at Play (CAP) and Teens at Play (TAP). The free after-school programs are for elementary- and middle school-aged children and are available until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

      The 41,000-square-foot facility gives children ample room to relieve the stresses of the day with group leaders who supply age-appropriate activities to keep them occupied, including art projects, physical activities and games. Students are also given 45 minutes to start on their homework, said Xanie Derrick, recreation coordinator.

      The children are the focus of the program and attention is given to their ideas, which are usually implemented by the program leaders, who sometimes discover the children's imaginations exceed their own.

      "A lot of stuff I do with them, it's new to me, too," said Joanne Ruiz, CAP program leader and Green Valley High School senior.

      "It's kind of surprising. They know a little more about what we're doing sometimes than we do."

      Because the program is free, the children are allowed to sign themselves out twice daily. This allows the children to go home or elsewhere with their friends. The center does, however, keep tabs on where they are, and parental and emergency information is also on file, and the activities keep the children enthralled enough to stay until their parents pick them up, Derrick said.

      To keep the programs new, the staff will attend workshops throughout the school year on subjects such as team leading, CPR and first aid, game playing, handling behavior issues and arts and crafts. In addition to keeping the staff on its toes, the workshops also create inventive ideas and reinforce rules and regulations.

      "It gives (the staff) a good base to work with children," Derrick said.

      Currently, there are 10 to 20 children in each program, but Derrick sees the enrollment rising as parents and kids ease into their new school schedules and realize the recreation center is open.

      Derrick keeps the programs at a 10-1 leader/child ratio and as children are added, staff will be added as well. Parents are also welcome at the center at any time and can observe the program before registering their child.

      "We try not to turn away any child," Derrick said.

      The name of the game is keeping the children's activity itinerary fun while not always letting on its educational traits.

      "We don't want it to seem like they're still in school," Ruiz said. "We work just to play."

      The CAP program is also offered at all city of Henderson Parks and Recreation Centers while TAP is currently only housed at the Whitney Ranch Recreation/Aquatics Complex.

      Those interested in the CAP and TAP programs can call the Whitney Ranch center at 450-5885.