Vegetables were used in the cafeteria, classroom salad tastings and many of our school-grown vegetables were donated to the Senior Center and the Food Pantry.

Please click the link above labeled “After-School Session One” to view photos from session one and to see the form our students will be taking home Tuesday.

On the heels of a successful 1st session, scheduled to end December 13th, Headwaters Executive Director, Jane Bowling-Wilson is anticipating even greater participation for the second session. The second session will be January 5 – February 14th. The second session will offer art, science, dance – all popular choices from the inaugural session.  “Drama will be added to our enrichment program in the 2nd session”, says Ms Bowling-Wilson. She went on to say that the community response has been terrific and the children (and many volunteers)  are having a wonderful experience.

Last week, November 7 – 11,  Headwaters Farm-to-Table Program joined in celebrating the third annual Virginia Farm to School week, a VDACS initiative to increase the amount of fresh and nutritious Virginia grown products offered in schools and to promote opportunities for schools and local farmers to work together.

During our Local Foods Week,  there was a more-than-usual abundance of fresh food available in the lunch line at Rappahannock County Public Schools  including Farm at Sunnyside’s lettuce mix, radishes carrots and kale;  Waterpenny Farm’s Butternut squash, salad greens, and kale;  Williams’ Orchard apples, and Adams’ Slaughter House beef burgers. A Seasonal tasting of Baked Kale Chips sourced from the Farm at Sunnyside and prepared by the Culinary Arts Classes was served in both cafeterias.  Farmers were invited to attend the tasting and local food lunch to share stories and answer questions about their farms.

After-School addresses the needs of at-risk and accelerated children and is available to 3rd, 4^th, and 5^th grades meeting twice a week from November 1 – December 13.   We hope to do two to three more sessions from January to May.  Our schedule includes a snack, an outdoor activity, homework help and tutorial assistance, an enrichment activity and group time.  The program is focused on giving children who are at-risk academically and/or socially, the extra attention and opportunity to develop confidence and successful homework routines.  The program staff includes Teens Mentors from Rappahannock County High School.

The inaugural session currently enrolls 24 students. The children are involved in enrichment activities led by community volunteers teaching Dance, Art, Science and Games.

Our Teen Mentors, volunteers and leaders were trained by the 4-H Program Leader in Rappahannock County in a two day workshop held after school at the elementary school.  The program manager for After-School is a former  educator with 28 years teaching experience in Rappahannock County.  Many of our volunteers are former mentors in the Starfish Mentoring program.  The teen mentoring program will provide our teens an opportunity to experience community service and realize the benefits of helping others.

14th Annual Taste of Rappahannock

Summer Hire/Internship Application Form

Here are lists of summer camps and summer enrichment programs available to those of you who are interested in doing something exciting this summer!  The list is by no means exhaustive.  If you don’t see a program, camp or school that suits your fancy, we can help you find what you’re looking for.  Just give us a call at (540) 987-3322 or stop by the Next Step office at the high school. Can’t afford it?  Many programs offer scholarships, and Headwaters can help there too.  There’s even a program that will pay you to attend.  The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation pays a stipend of $500 for students ages 14 – 17 to work in assigned state parks for three weeks in the summer to complete environmental projects.  No more excuses. The time for summer dreams is now as many of these programs fill up early!

Summer Camps 2011 (Microsoft Excel Document)

Summer Enrichment 2011 (Microsoft Excel Document)