B-SAFE is Back! Michelle Obama, Soccer, and More

Summer 2017 has started! It's our 18th summer of B-SAFE programming in the South End. On Wednesday morning St. Stephen's welcomed close to 120 young people in for yet another great summer of learning and fun. In our elementary program we have made a new addition to our site by adding a 5th group of elementary aged kids which means we were able to accept 15 more youth this year! In our short first week we have already been able to go to local parks, the sprinklers, soccer training, and even a fun field trip day in the outskirts of Boston. We have created group names, chants, and our new and improved Excellence Pacts, which encourage youth to set their own guidelines to follow this summer. Following this summer's Michelle Obama "When they go low, we go high" theme, youth have also  learned about the life of Michelle and put this quote into perspective in their own lives. We are learning how to be the bigger person in different situations we may encounter. 

By Sandy Quispe, Site Manager at St. Stephen's

Sandy, born in Peru, has lived in Dorchester since the age of 5. She attended Boston Arts Academy where, during a job fair, she came across St. Stephens Youth Programs. She worked as a teen for an academic year and two summers before taking on the role of lead counselor for St. Stephen's summer enrichment program, B-SAFE. She attained her bachelor's in psychology from University of Massachusetts Amherst. Working with children has always been one of her passions. She loves to see how children grow and develop from early childhood to adolescence.