Gonzales recreation staff outline Kid Power, sports, senior and youth-council programs and recent grants

Recreation staff told the Gonzales City Council about program growth, grants and partner support for youth, adult and senior services and said summer camp registrations will open May 16.

Jessica Olmedo, recreation coordinator and administrative analyst, and colleagues Isabelle Navarro, sports program coordinator, and Julie Douglas, youth program coordinator, presented a detailed recap of the department’s activities, including Kid Power after‑school programming, multiple sports leagues, senior classes and the Gonzales Youth Council.

The presentation showed Kid Power averaging about 30 children per month, with after‑school programming serving transitional kindergarten through fifth grade and seasonal camps serving TK through eighth grade. “Kid Power After School and camps have touched the lives of many of our children in our community,” Julie Douglas said. She described staff who began as interns and later joined the department’s paid staff.

Why it matters: staff said the programs provide supervised academic support, STEM exposure and career outreach for youth, and bring seniors programming into the city through partnerships with county health services — all using a mix of city staff, unpaid interns and community volunteers.

Program details and recent funding - Kid Power staff described daily one‑on‑one homework support and STEM activities; staff said parents have reported measurable reading improvement for students enrolled in the program. - The Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation awarded a $15,000 grant that staff said purchased parts and materials for a program where campers will build and program remote‑control cars; staff also said the grant supported three “3‑D pins” (noted in the presentation) intended for program use. - The Gonzales Youth Council received a $10,000 grant from the Hartnell Foundation to support youth civic engagement and a regional youth summit; staff said some of that funding also offsets advisory time. - Staff said the department hosts four unpaid Cal State Monterey Bay interns; two were described as completing 25 hours and two as in a 240‑hour placement. - Youth sports participation numbers given: youth basketball 156 total participants this season (39 in an all‑girls division; 117 in other divisions), mini T‑ball 33 participants, girls’ South County softball 49 participants across three divisions.

Staff reported summer logistics and scheduling - Registrations for Gonzales summer camp will open May 16; the first day of camp is scheduled for June 16 and runs seven weeks with a planned end date of Aug. 1. Kid Power after‑school programming is scheduled to reopen Aug. 11 for the new school year. - Aquatics staffing is pending certification and hiring; Olmedo told the council the department is conducting interviews and hoped, if certifications and hires fall into place, to open the pool for adult swim in mid‑to‑late June.

Partnerships and community engagement - Senior programming was described as a collaboration with the Monterey County Health Department and the Salinas Valley Health/Taylor Farms Clinic; staff said the county‑led Healthy Brain Initiative brought 18 classes to Gonzales since January and noted that the initiative funding is scheduled to end in June 2025, though staff said they are seeking additional grants to continue programming. - The department highlighted the community garden and multiple partners (Blue Zones Project, Resource Conservation District of Monterey County, Save the Whales, CADRE, Wings of Knowledge). Staff said Blue Zones contributed about $13,000 in recent support across community projects, including raised beds, a mural and preliminary traffic calming work. - Staff attributed recent operational capacity in part to volunteer coaches (they estimated about eight to 30 volunteer coaches per sport) and interns from CSUMB.

Public comment and council questions Resident Andrew Brown addressed the council during public comment, urging more consistent programming for middle‑ and high‑school youth and expressing skepticism about whether the new teen innovation center would offer substantially new options for older youth. “There are no youth programs that are consistent” in town, Brown said, and he asked how community members can help with volunteer and grant support.

Council members also asked operational questions during the presentation: one asked when the pool would open for adult swim; staff responded that hiring and certifications remain the final steps and a mid‑June target was possible. Another council member asked about umpiring and officials for youth and adult leagues; staff said high school students serve as officials in many youth games and adults or varsity players officiate adult leagues.

Context and next steps Staff said the department will host a mural ribbon‑cutting once date logistics are finalized, and noted other upcoming events including a fall festival in October and holiday lights the first Saturday in December. Registrations for some summer sports and events were summarized, and staff said they will advertise application openings for the Gonzales Youth Council and summer leadership training.

Ending Staff asked the council for continued support as they pursue additional grants and volunteers. For parents and residents seeking specifics, staff said registration and program flyers will be posted when finalized and that people may contact the recreation department for application and registration details.