Activities Update March 25, 2022

April 05, 2022

Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

We have the best team members ever! Coach Armstrong created a card game based on teamwork that the youth tried for the first time this week. Not only did they beat the coaches’ top score, but they kept playing many days in a row. It’s no wonder why “Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork,” because it’s so fun!

Paddle Ball Anyone?

Coach Muhanma joined the youth outside for some competitive rounds of paddle ball. He’ll tell you all he remembers is being sore the next day. We could tell by the smiles on everyone’s faces that they had a blast learning a new outdoor game. Coach Muhanma even found ways to include everyone by having the youth waiting their turns act as referees to mark the out-of-bounds line. Way to keep our activities youth-driven, Coach Muhanma!

Engage Norfolk

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at Engage Norfolk on Sunday, March 20! We had lovely conversations with so many interesting people from excellent organizations that all believe in the same pillars we do: Every youth can succeed. Every youth wants to succeed. Every youth deserves the opportunity to earn success. Stay on the edge of your seat, because with networking like this, more fun things will be coming for our youth.

Youth help paint poetry on the Elizabeth River Trail in Norfolk

Youth try a new card game created by Success Coach Armstrong

Acting Games

Theater workshops are getting better and better at NSTS! This week the youth practiced games to explore how movement and sound are integral parts of acting. We may be shy at first, but soon everyone was excited to make stories out of their friends’ sound effects or lead their partner through mirror activities. Some mirrored partners even had their counterparts doing push-ups!

Poetry on the Pavement

NSTS youth discovered giving back to their community can be rewarding and fun. Eleven youth went to two spots on the Elizabeth River Trail to help the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation paint poetry on Friday, March 18. The poems come from the Poetry on the Pavement project that decorates the city with poetry from Norfolk poets. Being part of this beautiful project reminded our youth that one day it could be their name adorning the sidewalks they walk along. Feel free to take pictures by the poems we painted near Plum Point Park and share to our Facebook page!

“Ready to tack?” “Ready!”

Next Step To Success and Sail Nauticus officially began their partnership March 25, with great success. This important bond between two like-minded Norfolk organizations started from a chance encounter at a golf tournament last year.

Months later, we can take two Harbor 20 sailboats on the water with the help of Sail Nauticus instructors and the hard work of five NSTS youth. Dylan Guill, sailing program coordinator, gave the youth two goals for the day: get comfortable on the water and have fun. Well, Mr. Dylan, mission accomplished. Youth had a great time and practiced leadership and teamwork simultaneously as the instructors encouraged them to be the main sailors and depend on one another. We learned everything from sailboat terminology to getting the boat on and off the dock. Once everyone was comfortable with the different roles on the sailboats, we even got to race. Shout out to Christopher and Johnny for leading Team Red Boat to victory. A huge thank you to the instructors for helping everyone stay dry. Well…. almost everyone (sorry, Coach Imari).

Ready to sail away with Sail Nauticus