Bringing back some of past summers’ favorites and adding in some new adventures, the Pegasus Entering Grades 6, 7 & 8 program will offer a mix of activity choices, physical challenges, and socialization opportunities.

Archery a New Addition. This summer, Pegasus will be held at the Wayland Middle School. One new feature is a weekly clinic with “On the Mark Archery,” a Weston-based company that brings its archery program to schools and camps. At Pegasus, the instructional program will be held on Thursday mornings for one hour. Program materials describe the sport as being “about focus, patience and practice.”

Instructors, who are Level 2 safety trained, state their goal as being “to bring out the best in the participants who take the time to learn this exciting Olympic sport.” Will Leona, the Pegasus site coordinator for the middle school program now starting his third year with this age group, views the archery program as being a great addition for the older students. “It’s a skill that will teach focus, self-discipline, respect and self-control.”

Culinary Arts. As another option on Thursdays, there will be a culinary arts program with a focus on healthy living. As much as possible, Leona says, dishes will be made from scratch. “Our goal is to make the healthiest version of each dish, so the young chefs will see how their choices affect each recipe.”
Possible menu items include baked goods made from scratch, salads, fruit dishes, smoothies, dips and nutritious treats, Leona explained. During Session One, this activity will also include a tour of the Stop & Shop in Wayland’s Town Center.

TV Production and Studio Art. Another highlight is weekly trips to the state-of-the-art cable television station at Wayland High School. Those opting for TV Production on Wednesdays will be producing a program for broadcast on the local cable channel. Skills developed will include scriptwriting, reading from a teleprompter, and being on-air talent. In the studio and control room, there will be technical crew assignments, such as floor director, sound person, teleprompter operator, and assistant director in the control room.

For Colby Bryant, an eighth grader at Wayland Middle School who has been attending Pegasus since he was in preschool, the trips to the TV studio are the most memorable parts of his Pegasus years. “The memories that stand out are the times we went to the WPKN studio to film.”

For those preferring art, there is a Studio Art option on Wednesday mornings with the Pegasus Art Specialist. Sculpture, woodworking, murals, illustrating, and painting are among the mediums explored; there are also opportunities to create props for the Pegasus play or for special events
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Community Service. To build confidence and a sense of self, Pegasus creates opportunities for community service. Examples from past years include collecting donations for a local food pantry and preparing and delivering baked goods for local police and fire departments.

Field Trips. Twice weekly field trips are designed to be challenging, stimulating, and fun. Session 1 includes a return to Rock On Adventure for rock climbing, as well as adventures at NY Beantown Trapeze in Reading, a new destination, and two full day (9 am – 3pm) trips: Amesbury Sports Park for Tubing and Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon.

Eighth grader Bryant points to the field trips as another element that made the middle school program fun. “The trips were great. The ones that that stand out for me are the rock climbing, the New England Sports Academy, and Sky Zone Trampoline Park.”

During Session 2, a new destination is included in the itinerary as the group travels to Danvers to the Coco Key Water Resort (full-day trip), in keeping with the “Set Sail and Cruise Week” at Pegasus. There will be a boat building activity on Thursday and a trip to the Essex Shipbuilding Museum on Friday. The following week will feature a full day trip to the Jay Gees Fun Center in Methuen, and the week will end with a “Take the Challenge” adventure at the Hopkinton YMCA Challenge Course.

To wrap up Session 2, the week will start with making tie-dye shirts, and there’ll be a trip to 5 Wits Espionage in Foxboro. To end the summer on Friday, the group will visit a trampoline park in Norwood.

All in all, program events and activities are designed to create new adventures for the young adolescent age group. “We want to create hands-on opportunities – whether it’s rock climbing, cooking, archery, or art – that keep Pegasus exciting and challenging,” concluded Leona.

For young Colby Bryant, the mix of activities met that goal over the past few years, and he’s eager to take on a new role this summer as he prepares to enter high school. “Now that I am too old to attend Pegasus as a camper, I am volunteering as a counselor-in-training at Pegasus,” he said.

Standard hours are 9 am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday, with extended hours available, if needed (8 am to 5:30 pm). Additional information is available at the Pegasus website: www.PegasusSummerExperience.com). There is also a Facebook page (Pegasus Summer Program). Enrollment is still open (PegasusSummerExperience.com); you may also email Julie_Potter@wayland.k12.ma.us or call her at 508-655-8146.