FRANKLIN
The Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s third Summer Enrichment Program’s concluded with a ceremony that took place on Friday afternoon.

The children danced to routines they made up themselves and presented what they had learned over the summer, one of which was the value of staying healthy.

They also created vision boards over the summer, which were posters that represented everything they want in their future.

This enrichment program taught the children to have self-esteem, etiquette, table manners, appropriate use of cell phones, importance of being kind to each other and much more.

The skills that the program taught the children shone through during the ceremony. They cheered each other on during their presentations. They also encouraged each other to keep going through their performances if they messed up or became shy.

The program is free and open to not only the children who are residents of public housing but also to the children who are residents of Franklin.

The United States Department of Agriculture provides food for the summer program.

Most of the children who attended this program are part of Franklin Scholars, as well.

The staff who worked for the summer program were teenagers who are a part of a mentoring program which is through Franklin Scholars.

Many parents also helped out with the program throughout the summer.

“This program could not have been successful without the parents and staff,” Youth Self-Sufficiency Director Lind VonBoone-Randolph said. “We tried to combine learning and fun this summer. We also tried to keep children from forgetting what they had learned throughout the school year.

“This program was a huge success this summer.”