Photo provided by Hillsborough County. Children play at one the county’s 19 recreation centers now offering PRC’s newest after-school program. Beginning in January, Rec2Six expanded by offering its program at 19 Hillsborough County recreation centers.
“What started as a pilot program initially is now expanding into the 19 centers,” said Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation spokesperson Kemly Green as she talked about Rec2Six, the department’s newest after-school program.
Green said that beginning in January, Rec2Six expanded by offering its program at these centers and joins America’s movement to raise a healthier generation of kids by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices through physical activity and nutrition education.
While emphasizing active, healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, proper nutrition, homework assistance, and enrichment activities, such as the 4-H program, Rec2Six claims to have all it needs to provide care for children in grades 1-5 from 2 p.m.-6 p.m., at a weekly rate of $38, and reduced rates of $30 and $20 per week are available with a current school reduced or free lunch letter.
“The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioner’s challenged the PRC to provide a program that encourages healthy lifestyle-choices through physical activity and nutrition education with measurable goals for the participants,” Green said.
The expansion of the program was not unexpected as PRC was already offering an after-school (Transition Program) at the regional community centers.
Green said that to avoid confusion for its customers, it was decided to standardize the programming and bring both programs under the same umbrella.
Currently, the program cares for approximately 100 children in the original Rec2Six program and 315 at the regional sites. Partner programs such as Boys & Girls Club and RCMA added an additional 208 children.
Parents can sign their child up for the Rec2Six program by contacting one of the following participating recreation centers including:
• Apollo Beach, located at 664 Golf & Sea Blvd. in Apollo Beach, 671-7635
• Brandon, located at 502 E. Sadie St. in Brandon, 635-8179
• Gardenville, located at 6219 Symmes Rd. in Gibsonton, 672-1120
• Mango, located at 11717 Clay Pit Rd. in Seffner, 635- 7489
• Ruskin, located at 901 6th St. in Ruskin, 672-7881
For more information, visit www.Rec2Six.org.
