By Maggie LaNoue – Contributing Writer – October 9, 2026
Nine-year-old Olivia had a simple assessment of Albion’s 2026 Summer Enrichment Program when she spoke to City Council Monday.
The fourth grader remembered getting “cool shirts” and keychains, making slime, playing at Holland Park and reading with her 13-year-old brother, who was her reading buddy. She also took part in STEM activities.
The program began taking shape in May, when City Manager Dr. Sheryl Theriot convened a Recreation Roundtable with about 40 participants. After City Council approved the new approach in June, Theriot said the city had about three weeks to organize the summer program and rally a team to run it. The summer camp was scheduled primarily at Holland Park.
That team soon had to adapt. Some of the hottest days of summer arrived in early July, and smoke from Canadian wildfires also affected outdoor activities.
Cherryl Thames, who helped coordinate the program, told council Oct. 5 that community partners responded by opening their doors.
“Just so many great people that told us to come inside,” Thames said, calling the community partners “a major strength for us for this summer.”
Marquetta Frost, one of the summer recreation leaders, also credited parents and community members who supported activities and special events in the parks.
Monday’s presentation showed how Starr Commonwealth contributed to the summer effort in two ways.
Katie Carpenter, senior director of youth empowerment programs at Starr, reported on a separate eight-week program at Starr’s Albion campus. The city sponsored 25 Albion youth to participate in Starr’s Summer Student Resilience and Empowerment Center, with activities ranging from fishing to math, literacy and relationship-building.
Starr also provided training for seven leaders and staff members from Albion’s recreation program. Dr. Katey Price, a Starr research analyst, said the training addressed trauma, children’s universal needs and ways to build connection and belonging.
Thames said one lesson was replacing a traditional “time out” with a “time in” — helping a frustrated child find something they could succeed at or an opportunity to become a leader.
“Giving them a time in, instead of a time out, was such a powerful lesson for me and for so many others,” Thames said.
Frost said the training emphasized “meeting kids where they are” and recognizing that children came with different backgrounds and experiences.
“We needed to be there to support them,” she said.
The city’s Summer Enrichment Program registered 45 children. It also represented a change in how Albion used its recreation millage. The YMCA, which had previously been contracted to provide the city’s recreation programming, remained one of the city’s recreation partners, with swimming among the activities discussed for children.
Near the end of Monday’s presentation, Harry Bonner Jr., parent coordinator at Harrington Elementary School, came forward with children and family members who participated in the summer program.
Ruby Coates then told council that her grandchildren, Olivia and her 13-year-old brother, looked forward to recreation each day. She recalled science museum trips, visits to local restaurants for ice cream and Olivia’s enthusiasm for reading, writing and the library.
“The summer enrichment program was very beneficial to my grandchildren,” Coates said. “They looked forward to coming every day.”
Then Olivia gave council her own review of the summer.
See Albion Recreation Programs with links to official websites by clicking here.
