For more than 225 young people across Columbus, this summer was about more than staying busy while school was out. It was about stepping into new spaces and trying new things.
With support from the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, Columbus Recreation and Parks’ Center Without Walls program expanded opportunities for youth to stay active, explore new experiences and build confidence throughout the summer.
Bringing Recreation to the Neighborhood
Center Without Walls, or CWOW, was created in 2018 to bring recreation directly to neighborhoods where a traditional community center may not be available or where young people may not have a safe route to reach one.
What began at two West Side schools has grown into a network of 16 locations across Columbus, including elementary, middle and high schools and three community centers.
Instead of asking young people to find their way to recreation, CWOW brings recreation to them.
Through weekly activities, field trips, guest speakers, sports, arts, health and wellness programming and other enrichment opportunities, the program is designed to remove barriers and give young people consistent access to experiences that help them learn, grow and connect.
This summer, CWOW offered three to eight weeks of programming at five sites, reaching more than 225 youth ages 6 to 16.
Support from the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation helped make those experiences possible.
From the Neighborhood to the Ice
Among the summer’s most memorable experiences were trips to the ice rink, where many CWOW participants had their first opportunity to skate.
For some, those first few minutes on the ice were intimidating. Summer CWOW participants held tightly to the wall, cautiously tested their balance and figured out how to move on an unfamiliar surface.
Then something changed.
With every lap, every fall and every attempt to get back up, their confidence grew.
By the end of the experience, some of the youngest participants didn’t want to leave the ice.
That transformation is exactly what programs like Center Without Walls are designed to create.
“CWOW is built on the belief that exposure creates opportunity,” said Antonio Combs, Center Without Walls Program Manager.
“By eliminating barriers to entry, we help youth discover interests they didn’t know they had and build confidence through new challenges.”
Hockey also gave participants a chance to connect something unfamiliar with sports they already knew. They quickly recognized the speed, teamwork and strategy involved and embraced the opportunity to learn something new.
Along the way, they practiced skills that extend well beyond sports: patience, teamwork, resilience, problem-solving and the willingness to keep trying when something is difficult.
Creating Access Through Partnership
The Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation’s support extended beyond time on the ice.
Funding helped provide transportation for field trips, healthy snacks and meals, supplies and other resources needed to keep youth active, creative and engaged during full-day summer programming.
Throughout the summer, CWOW participants explored art, sports, college and career opportunities, mentorship and wellness.
Youth created tie-dye projects, bracelets, paintings and ceramics. They participated in football, soccer, dodgeball, basketball, track and field and hockey. Older participants visited The Ohio State University to learn about college admissions, financial aid and academic programs, while the Drive to Your Pathway event connected youth with professionals including firefighters, police officers, entrepreneurs, military personnel and teachers.
Participants also spent time with college student-athletes from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, who led skill-building activities and talked with youth about their experiences in college and their goals for the future.
Together, those experiences reinforced a simple idea: recreation can be a gateway.
Investing in What’s Possible
When organizations like the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation invest in Columbus youth, that support sends a message beyond the activities it funds.
It tells young people that they matter.
It tells them their growth is worth investing in and that their community believes in what they can become.
For the Columbus Recreation and Parks Foundation, partnerships like this are an important part of expanding access to meaningful recreation experiences throughout our community. By connecting philanthropic investment with programs like Center Without Walls, we can help remove barriers and create more opportunities for Columbus youth to learn, explore and thrive.
For this summer’s CWOW participants, that opportunity may have started with a field trip, a hockey stick or a tentative first step onto the ice.
Where it leads next is full of possibility.
We appreciate the Columbus Blue Jackets for supporting Center Without Walls.