Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Chief of Staff Tom Ashe joined with Assistant Director of Recreation Paula Thayer and Principal John Doty for a special End of Year Field Day with students, staff and families at Bowles Elementary School yesterday.
Mayor Sarno thanked and recognized the efforts of the afterschool staff at Bowles for their dedication to providing a successful and enriching program for Bowles students and their families. The free program is currently serving sixty-five (65) students for a total of twenty-nine weeks Monday – Thursday each week since November.
A number of program partners came together to celebrate at the End of Year Field Day event. The event included field day games with Next Level Adventures, face painting, Mr. Whippey’s Ice Cream truck, a visit from the Springfield Fire and Police Departments, free reusable water bottles from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, as well as free coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, and bubbles provided by Blanco Electric. The East Springfield Neighborhood Council also came to celebrate and ReGreen Springfield provided a new tree that was planted at Bowles with the help of students and Mayor Sarno.
Mayor Sarno stated, “As the former director of the South End Community Center, youth programs are very near and dear to my heart. I want to thank Director Patrick Sullivan, Paula Thayer, Channing Calcasola and the staff from the DPRM for their ongoing enrichment programming that benefits our children and their families. This successful program is possible thanks to funding through the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant program.”
PBRM Director Sullivan stated “I would like to credit the recreation staff for their grant writing efforts which has provided anchor funding for the afterschool programs across the City. I would like to thank Paula Thayer and Channing Calcasola for their commitment to providing past participants with the opportunity to serve as peer mentors and give back to the program”.
Paula Thayer stated “Our recreation staff believe our programs are very important in building a sense of community within the City especially with the all the obstacles that the global COVID-19 pandemic has presented. We are also very grateful for the support of Bowles Principal, John Doty. We know the students are delighted to be back in person as opposed to the virtual programs held during the pandemic.”
