Recreation Programs

Started in 1995, this open-door, drop-in recreation program for “at risk” children in grades K through 6th, provides a variety of activities including arts & craft projects, educational games and toys, sports, contests, recreational games, and daily snacks.

This program provides cultural enrichment activities for disadvantaged youth. Excursions include field trips to movies, music & dance performances, comedy shows, sporting events, art & cooking workshops, art exhibits, storytelling events, educational facilities, local festivals and special events. One hundred and thirty-seven Cultural Enrichment field trips were made last year!

Recreation leaders take children on field trips twice each week to clean up local parks and the streets of Isla Vista. Ninety-seven Adopt-A-Block field trips were made last year. Many thanks to IV Drip and Woodstock’s Pizza for providing treats for our young volunteers!

Children who volunteer for the Adopt-A-Block Program are given first priority for Hiking and Exploration Club excursions. Field trips are made to parks, preserves, sanctuaries and hiking trails in the Santa Barbara area. Seventy-six Hiking and Exploration field trips were made last year.

This program provides swimming field trips to the UCSB Recreation Center once a week throughout the summer.

The Isla Vista Public Improvement Corporation’s grant for “Children at Risk”, provided by the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, allows The District to offer a food distribution program serving low-income families throughout the year.

Each summer the District’s Recreation Division takes children on a five-day camping trip to Sequoia. The group volunteers with the US Forestry Service, proudly helping to preserve this national treasure for future generations. Excursions within the National Forest generally include swimming at Hume Lake, climbing Moro Rock, hiking to the General Sherman Tree, touring the Crystal Caves, visiting Grant’s Grove, swimming in the Topoka River, hiking to Panoramic Point, visiting the Lodgepole Visitor’s Center, and touring Crescent Meadow.

As an alternative to the Sequoia Youth Trip, The District sometimes takes children to Lake Lopez for a four-day camping adventure. This trip’s experiential learning program focuses on Character Building and includes team building initiatives, true-life stories of good character, the identification of positive character traits demonstrated by fellow campers, and participation in the San Luis Obispo County Junior Ranger Program. As part of the Junior Ranger Program, the SLO Ranger takes the group fishing off the dock and on a nature hike. The children must also finish a written lesson and complete a community service project in order to earn their Jr. Ranger badges. In addition to completing the experiential learning program, the group spends a day at the Mustang Water Park, which is everyone’s favorite activity.

In collaboration with other local agencies, groups and organizations, The District hosts local festivals such as Dia De Los Niños and Safe Halloween. Recreation leaders provide arts & craft projects, play activities, games and relay races.

On the first Saturday of each month, Home Depot provides a free woodcraft workshop for children ages 5 to 12. Recreation staff and volunteers walk the children from Children’s Park to Home Depot and assist them with constructing their projects. After the workshop, the children play at Girsh Park and then are escorted to McDonald’s restaurant where they are allowed to buy two items off the dollar menu.

Working alongside District recreation leaders, high school students have the opportunity to earn community service hours toward their graduation requirement by volunteering with eight different programs, projects & special events: Children’s Adopt-A-Block, the Summer Sequoia Excursion, the Tutoring Program, the Cultural Enrichment Program, the afternoon Recreation Program at Children’s Park, Dia De Los Niños, the Hiking & Exploration Club and the Home Depot Wood Workshops.

UCSB’s Family Literacy Program provides volunteer tutors for The District’s afternoon recreation program at Children’s Park. In addition to providing tutoring, these UCSB students read stories, listen attentively while children read, lead educational games, and use flashcards to help the children improve their phonics and math skills.

In addition to the Adopt-A-Block Program, Recreation Leaders take children on monthly field trips to clean up local parks, beaches and open spaces. Twenty-seven community clean ups were completed last year.