PALS Program

Children Continue to Win with 10th PALS Program

During the past 10 years, more than 2,000 children ages 8-14 have spent four weeks in the summer at a day camp on campus learning how to play sports, eat better, balance a checkbook and respect their peers and themselves.

Katelyn Lopez, a senior studying psychological sciences, is one of those students who has been involved with the Purdue Athletes Life Success program, and she credits her success — from attending college to training for local road races — to her experiences in the program.

Ten years ago Lopez was referred by her middle school to the Purdue program, which is free to children who qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program.

At that time, Lopez wasn’t sure if attending college was a financial possibility, but then she learned about the Twenty-first Century Scholars fund through the camp, also known as PALS. She was a little intimidated by attending a university, but that changed as she learned from older students who served as the program’s team leaders and role models.

“It helped define me as a person,” she says. “I matured through camp and learned how to be a role model.”

For the past seven years, Lopez has been a role model for 20 children she guides through the program’s daily activities.

The Department of Health and Kinesiology runs the program, and just like its campers, PALS has gone through a number of changes during the past 10 years. It started as a part of the National Youth Sports Program, but the federal program lost its funding in 2007.

“The camp itself is an example of how positive support and resources can help something flourish,” says Bill Harper, camp co-director and professor of health and kinesiology. “Just a few years ago, the future of the camp looked dim when the federal organizing program lost its funding, but we are so thankful for the support from the University, community and individuals who have not only kept this camp running but also helped it grow.”

Because the program had strong campus and community support, it was able to keep going, and today it has evolved into a program that teaches more than just sports. For example, the emphasis placed on sports 10 years ago has evolved to focus on teamwork, positive self-image, financial literacy, friendship and good choices.

Thanks to support from major supporters, Purdue Federal Credit Union and Drew Brees’ The Brees Dream Foundation, the program was able to change its name in 2008 to PALS.

“There is no timeout during the program because we keep the campers moving and engaged,” says Kim Lehnen, co-program director and operations assistant in health and kinesiology. “We do provide lunch, and we’ve learned and observed that this peer interaction time is just as critical as anything we teach.”

For more on the PALS program, please visit www.purdue.edu/hhs/hk/PALS,
Boiler Bytes: Local children win with 10th PALS program.

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