Activities–A Path to Connection
By Amy Bianco, Primary School Recess Coordinator/Interim Activities Coordinator, K-9
Going completely virtual was scary for many of us. The sudden cut-off from socializing became a harsh reality very quickly. We missed our friends and families. We missed connection. This was the basis for creating ECS Activities in the fall of 2020. This task was assigned to Ashley Wellman (Afterschool and Recess Coordinator - Intermediate) and me (After School Deputy Director and Primary School Recess Coordinator) as interim positions while the after-school program remained suspended. Springboarding off of our recess and after-school experience, we tapped into our passions: outdoors, nature, local non-profits, communicating, organizing, and being creative. We wanted to offer our community free, accessible, socializing opportunities both in-person and virtually. We all needed it!
Ashley quickly engaged in partnering with local organizations: The Queen’s Gambit Chess lessons, soccer clinics with Connecting Passes-Scoring Goals, and STEM Coding Lab. I took on leading hikes and park meetups so kids could play. We connected with teachers who were offering virtual clubs about things they were passionate about Anime, D&D, art, music, Spanish, and biking. We gathered resources that lie outside of the ECS community that was free and open to anyone (Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Level Up Studios, Assemble). Many hours were spent thinking about safety, logistics, accessibility, proximity, and the best ways to reach out. Many meetings were “zoomed” as we considered the needs and feedback from students, parents, and staff. The Activities website was created and with administrative support from all buildings and the home office, and the Activities “department” turned into a much-needed resource, not just for our families, but for us, too!
Now that we’ve moved into the hybrid model, we continue to offer and coordinate these activities at no cost to families. Hikes are offered in parks and green spaces all around the city. There is even a carpooling network established via the PCO if anyone needs a ride. The hikes have resulted in the discovery of new trails and parks and have provided the setting in which families can meet in person, sometimes for the first time. The ECS Geocache in Frick Park has been a hit as a self-guided, social distancing choice for families while keeping them connected when they see the names of the ECS families who have signed the log before them. Chess and soccer are into their second rounds and STEM Coding Lab is underway! I am very proud of ECS Activities! It highlights our organization’s dedication to our families and proves how very comforting, healing, and important connections can be!
To see all of the activities listings, check out the ECS Activities site at https://sites.google.com/ecspgh.org/activities/event-info-and-community-events.