"We, number one, want to show that we continue to invest into our youth and the next generation of what we know is our workforce," said Mayor Smith. "And you cannot know what's available for you for a career if you're not exposed to it."

For many, it was also an introduction to 4-H — a youth development program that focuses on building life skills through hands-on experiences. The name 4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.

“Our assignment was we need to check our smoke detector, so we can see if it works in case we have a fire, and you always need a door,” said Alanna Watkins, one of the program participants. “You don't want to live in a basement or attic if you don't have a door. And you have to have a plan, so when you have a sleepover with your friends, you have to tell them where to meet up if you have a fire.”

The program, which is open to children ages 6 to 12, gives kids the chance to spend their summer meeting new friends and learning more about themselves. Throughout the eight-week program, participants will go on field trips, hear from guest speakers, take part in a variety of activities, and, of course, play games.

“The staff that we have this year, they're very qualified, so it's encouraging to have a lot of yearly returners coming back and being leaders again for consecutive years, building relationships and bonds with everybody,” said Julia Washington-Allen, Summer Playground Coordinator. “It's also very important to us that we hire individuals who work with children throughout the year, so having teachers who are qualified to teach and to interact with these children and be positive influences is something that we strive for every year.”