Summer fun at Seaford Manor

Although school is still out for summer, plenty of youngsters have been seen on the grounds of Seaford Manor Elementary School in recent weeks. 

Hundreds of children participated in the 11th annual Seaford Summer Recreation Program, held from July 20 through Aug. 12. Organizers said it was designed to provide dozens of fun activities for students in kindergarten through seventh grade every weekday. 

Two Seaford School District teachers conceptualized the program more than a decade ago, and still facilitate it today. Ralph Pascarella, a physical education teacher at Seaford High School, brought his idea to host a camp of sorts on district grounds to his colleague Bill Dietz, a sixth-grade teacher who has worked in the district for 15 years. “Our community didn’t have anything like this in the summer,” Dietz noted. 

“We wanted to have a recreation camp where kids don’t have to be athletic or feel like they’re in class,” added Pascarella, who has been in the district for 21 years. “It was a small idea that became a huge thing for the community.” 

From the first year of the camp’s existence, Pascarella said, school administrators, parents, community organizations and businesses have supported the program. The district provides facilities and helps spread the word to the community, he said, noting that many teachers and parents have also joined the camp staff and helped plan the day-to-day schedule of activities. 

More than 200 children participated in the program this year, gathering at Manor from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. About 35 counselors of varying ages supervised them. During “volunteer week,” about a dozen community members also donated their time to the camp.  

Pascarella noted that the staff is composed almost entirely of current Seaford students and SHS alumni. In fact, he said, one of the best parts about running the camp is “seeing great students we see all school year work for us in the summer.” 

Many of these students were campers when they were young, organizers noted, while others enjoyed their first working experience in the program. In either case, counselors like Virginia Pagan, a 19-year-old Seaford resident, keep coming back every summer.

“It’s great spending time with the kids and watching them grow over the years,” said Pagan, who has been a counselor for five consecutive summer. Jennifer Hughes, an 18-year-old Seaford resident and a longtime staffer at the camp, agreed. “It’s nice because we get to see them come back every year,” she added. 

Hughes worked alongside Elyssa DiCostanzo, 18, of Seaford, with a group of about 20 children this summer. Four counselors were assigned to the nine groups of children in the program, with each cohort rotating among arts and crafts, gym time, free time and special activities on a block schedule.

“I love showing them all the different activities because they’re always so amazed,” DiCostanzo said. “Working here is the highlight of my summer.”

Recreational activities include basketball, kickball, ceramics, tie-dyeing T-shirts, watching movies, and learning American Sign Language. With a wide range of athletic, artistic and educational activities, Dietz said, organizers try to make sure there’s something for everyone. 

Each day, the children also participated in a special event. For instance, on Wacky Water Wednesday, sprinklers and blow-up waterslides were set up outside Manor for children of all ages to run through and cool off. 

On Aug. 3, the Seaford Fire Department brought two trucks to the camp for the event. Counselors like Jessica Poole, a 17-year-old Seaford resident who spent her second summer on the program staff, ran alongside the children, getting soaked and smiling all the way.

“It’s great seeing all the kids have so much fun every day,” she said. “It also provides good experience working with kids.”

Kids have also enjoyed bingo, bubble soccer and Crazy Hat Day. Raffles were also held each Friday, and two children were named Campers of the Week.

Last Thursday, organizers hosted the program’s end-of-summer carnival (Photos, page 9). The event doubles as an annual fundraiser for a Seaford family in need. 

This year’s event honored Seaford resident Anthony Secondino, who died earlier this summer at age 46. Through community donations, the camp raised more than $10,000 for the local family. 

“We tried to raise as much money as possible and really support them as best we could,” Pascarella said, adding that the carnival keeps the fundraiser upbeat. “Everyone wins.”

Pascarella said helping local residents in such periods of grief or those who are struggling to pay for medical bills has become an important tradition. The annual fundraiser also exemplifies how connected the program and the community have become. 

“It started out to be this small little camp, and it turned out to be something we never expected,” he explained. “It’s pretty laid back, and the kids have a lot of fun.”