SEAL BEACH : Flexible Day Camp Tailored to Teens

For working parents, summer day camps have become a popular way of keeping the kids busy but safe until school gets back into session.

The problem is that most day camps accept only children younger than age 12, leaving many teen-agers with the task of creating their own summer fun. And in a world of drugs and gangs, this can be the beginning of trouble, city recreation officials say.

On June 28, Seal Beach is set to begin the city’s first summer activity program specifically designed for teen-agers. Organizers hope to appeal to teens by giving them a greater say in creating activities and events that are more challenging than the fare offered at regular summer camps.

“It is a good place to hang out,” said Kathleen McGlynn, Seal Beach’s recreation supervisor, in describing the program for youths ages 12 to 15. “It allows (them) to do something active and creative--to keep their minds going.”

The teen camp will take place on weekday afternoons at McAuff Elementary School on Seal Beach Boulevard. Though run by Recreation Department staffers, the program is designed to be flexible and unregimented. Teens are allowed to come and go as they please and are not forced to take part in activities.

Participants themselves have a voice in choosing activities, which might range from playing table tennis to taking a “break-dancing” lesson, McGlynn said. Trips to the beach and to professional sports events also are possible.

As part of the program, teens can help paint a mural on a series of plywood panels that will eventually be donated to the city. “This is their community,” McGlynn added. “We are hoping they will take some pride” in completing the mural.

The program, which is modeled after a similar camp already under way in Los Alamitos, costs $25 per person. There is an additional charge to take part in the mural painting.

For more information, call the Seal Beach Department of Parks and Recreation at (310) 431-2527.