Apache Junction offers summer youth camp at new location

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

Apache Junction’s summer youth camp has outgrown the use of the city’s multigenerational center and will be moving to a new facility this year.

The May 29-July 5 program will be held at Four Peaks Elementary School, 1785 N. Idaho Road, in the Apache Junction Unified School District.

“This summer we’re super excited. We’re going to be moving our summer camp program off-site,” Recreation Coordinator JJ Underwood said during the May 1 meeting of the Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Commission.

Last year the youth summer camp was held at the Apache Junction Multi-generational Center, 1035 N. Idaho Road.

“For a while we’ve always had it at the multi-gen center and it’s great during the (school) breaks, but during the summer it’s just crowded. There’s so much stuff going on, we’re fighting for space, we can only take a limited number of kids,” Underwood said.

AJUSD will be offering the free lunch program this summer at Four Peaks Elementary, he said.

“Part of the partnership — and another reason why we are excited — is that the Apache Junction school district is going to be offering a free lunch program at our site, so not only can parents sign up for our program but the school will be there to offer free lunch so parents don’t have to worry about providing lunch. And then it will also be another site that helps the school district out so it’s open to the public — so any of the public can come in and have lunch,” Underwood said.

Up to 60 children ages 6-12 can attend the summer camp Monday-Friday at a cost of $50 a week per session, with two sessions a day — 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 12:30-5 p.m., and a $25 discount for signing up for the morning and afternoon sessions. Each week is a different theme. The summer camp is not a licensed day care facility, according to the city’s website at https://www.apachejunctionaz.gov/onlinereg.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.