Purpose

“I learned the brain is an important part of the human body, and we all have different DNA.”

-- Elementary scholarship recipient

Talking about his after school science class

Rick’s Run for Kids 5K Run/Walk was established in 2014 as a fundraiser for Rec & Ed's Youth Scholarship Fund. Proceeds from the event go directly to scholarships for children to participate in after school enrichment classes, instructional sport programs, and summer camps. Eligible youth are AAPS students who are part of the Free or Reduced Lunch Program or meet federal low income guidelines.

So far in 2015-16, Rec & Ed has awarded over 80 scholarships for after school STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math), soccer, and gymnastics. During the summer 2016, scholarships were awarded for children to participate in STEAM camps, instructional sports camps and Safety Town.

Why support after school and summer programming for Ann Arbor area youth?

Quality after school and summer camp programming provide critical opportunities for young people in the Ann Arbor area. In fact, national studies have shown that after school programs keep kids safe, inspire learning, and help children develop new interests in topics like STEM. Not only that, but students involved in after school programming tend to have better school attendance, fewer behavior problems, and are less likely to engage in risky behaviors.

We believe that every child in the Ann Arbor area, regardless of family income, should have the opportunity to enjoy high quality after school enrichment or sport activities through Rec & Ed.