Youth Programs

Eleven-year-olds Lexus Kohn, Seta Santos and Ashley Otero shake up jars of heavy cream, turning it to butter, at the Duggan Park youth program.

Bowls filled to the brim with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, honey, and coconut perched on a kitchen counter at Springfield Housing Authority’s John J. Duggan Park, while Ashley Otero and her friends vigorously shook covered glass jars filled with a mysterious white liquid.

But 11-year-old Ashley couldn’t keep the recipe a secret for long.

“We’re making our own butter,” she announced, smiling broadly as she held up a jam jar whose creamy contents were beginning to turn solid. “We’re going to use it on our pancakes.”

Ashley and her friends were crowded into the kitchen at Duggan’s youth programming headquarters on a recent afternoon, working on a cooking lesson that would end, happily, with a tasty snack.

Seta Santos, 11, counselor Jessica Tower, and Ashley Otero, 11, make a cooking project at Duggan Park Apartments look like fun.

The after-school programming, which blossoms to a full-day program during summer months, is brought to the SHA by ADC Prevention Services and Associates of Springfield. At Duggan, home to 196 families in the Indian Orchard section of the city, some two dozen children typically pour in after school or on summer days to partake of the fun.

ADC counselor Jessica Tower runs the weekly cooking classes, and said she brings in ingredients and recipes that make for fun preparations and healthy eating. An organic baker since she began learning as a child with her aunt, she likes to choose recipes that are somewhat complicated.

“We always have a lot of kids, and I want everyone to help,” explained Tower. “So I’m always on the lookout for recipes that have a lot of steps.”

On this day, Tower’s plans involved cutting up berries, putting toppings in bowls, shaking heavy cream into butter, and making pancakes. The activity took well over an hour, and kept the kitchen a beehive of happy noise and movement.

“I come here all the time after school,” said Ashley. “It’s like a second home to me. Everybody takes care of each other, and you know everyone. All my friends are here.”

Alexy Ocasio and Hussein Iman, both 9, enjoy their time at the Duggan youth program.

Her friend Lexus Kohn, also 11, agreed.

“I started coming here a little while ago, and I just kept coming,” Lexus said.

“There are always lots of kids here, and they keep you busy,” she said.

Down a narrow hallway, supervisor Sally Hardy said the program has proven popular, and is continuing to draw more children as the weather warms.

“We give them a lot of activities, and we try to make each one something that teaches them. When school is on, we start with homework time. In everything, we teach them to follow rules and to respect themselves. There’s always something good going on here,” Hardy said.

At the other end of the hallway is a room with computers lining one wall, and a small table opposite. The computers, as usual, were in full use. At the table, nine-year-old pals Alexy Ocasio and Hussein Iman spun tops and talked about summer plans.

“I’m going to be here some of the time,” said Hussein. “But I’ll be on vacation, too.”

The Duggan after-school and summer programs are among seven offered at Springfield Housing Authority developments. Others are at Reed Village, Marble Street, Riverview, Pine-James, Moxon and John L. Sullivan apartments.