Hampton officials highlight teen 'Reconnect' pilot, plan surveys to shape summer programming

Mayor Tuck on Monday convened a work session in which Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services Director Dave McCauley outlined the department’s approach to teen programming and partnerships.

McCauley said the department’s goal is to "reconnect with our teens," describing Reconnect, a pilot at North Phoebus Community Center that asks participants to co-create programming and earn memberships through participation. He said the pilot has grown and has included partnerships with the Urban League (which sponsored a trip to a Washington Wizards game) and with the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority for an Urban Basketball League team. "The Reconnect's about providing a safe environment, a safe place for our teens to connect," McCauley said.

Staff reviewed program formats and schedules: "Beyond the Bell" is offered weekdays 2–6 p.m. for ages 6–15 at Fort Monroe, Northampton and Westhampton and includes transportation, a hot meal and homework help; "Open Rec" provides unstructured center access for teens 2–6 p.m.; and Camp Hampton will run full days (7 a.m.–6 p.m.) and half‑day options with meals and activities. McCauley also described enrichment offerings including Youth Sailing of Virginia (swim prerequisites include a 50‑yard swim and a 1‑minute tread water requirement) and an adaptive-sports tournament at Fort Monroe.

Vice Mayor Gray and other council members pressed staff on participation and access. McCauley said national demographic language in his presentation used the figure "0.25" (a point Council discussed as roughly 25 percent) and that staff will roll up local participation rates from enrollment data; he committed to returning a more precise local participation figure after pulling registration data. Recreation coordinator Nicole Dennis said the department already offers swim instruction without an additional fee at Fort Monroe neighborhood centers and is planning to expand to serve as many as 100 kids this summer.

Council discussed affordability and said no child should be turned away. Dennis described a sliding-scale process coordinated with Hampton City Schools: students eligible for free or reduced lunch may present forms to receive free memberships. McCauley said the department plans a short survey sent through the schools’ communication system to gather teens’ preferences and will tie survey participation to incentives (for example, temporary free membership) while the department aligns enrollment tracking with a new online registration system (CivicRec).

Staff said they would bring survey results and recommendations back to council after CivicRec is fully implemented so metrics can be captured and assessed.