Mayor Bowser Highlights Free, Safe and Fun Summer Opportunities for DC Youth, Encourages Families to Stay Cool During Extreme Heat

(Washington, DC) - Today, as thousands of District youth start summer camps, summer learning programs, and the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP), Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) are reminding families that it's not too late to register for free, enriching summer activities across all eight wards. From STEM camps and library programming to field trips, pool parties, and evening hangouts, the District is offering a wide range of activities for children and teens this summer. With the District currently under an Extreme Heat Alert through Wednesday, June 25, families are also encouraged to visit heat.dc.gov for resources on how to stay safe and cool this summer.

"We want every young person in DC to have a summer filled with opportunities to grow, connect, and have fun," said Mayor Bowser. "We make big investments in summer programming because we know how important it is to our kids and to the community. With most.dc.gov, we've made it easier to find and register for out of school time programs, and now we're spreading the word to families that there are still free opportunities available for the summer. And this week, as our young people are out and about, we're reminding everyone to stay safe in the heat by staying hydrated, being mindful of time spent outdoors, and taking advantage of our pools, spray parks, and cooling centers."

This summer, thousands of free program slots are available through a coordinated effort led by DME and supported by DCPS, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), the DC Public Library, and the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes. To help families navigate their options, the District launched the Out of School Time DC (MOST-DC) portal earlier this year. The user-friendly site allows parents to search and register for programs based on location, age, school, or cost, and thousands of families have already used it to plan their summer.

"Our job is to make opportunity easy to access and hard to miss," said Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn. "This summer, we're proud to offer not just programs but experiences that bring learning to life and meet the needs of every student, in every neighborhood."

What's Happening This Summer

A wide variety of free programs are still open for registration, including but not limited to:

• DCPS Middle School Summer Learning: Offers rising sixth through ninth grade students a variety of engaging academic and non-academic programs, from STEAM enrichment and math camps to career exploration and outdoor adventures.
• DC Public Library's Discover Summer: Hundreds of events available through August 31, including author visits, museum partnerships, the Know Your Power teen art contest, mobile programming and prize giveaways.
• Late Night Hype and Late Night Drip: DPR's weekly evening programming includes music, games, and extended pool hours for teens.
• Junior Lifeguard Academy: Young people ages 13 to 17 can start their lifeguarding journey by gaining the skills needed to enter comprehensive lifeguard training. Meets twice a week for four weeks.
• DPR Youth Field Trips: Free Saturday drop-off experiences for ages 7-12, including transportation, lunch and fun activities.
• Roving Leaders Day: Annual day of games, moon bounces, biking, live animals, water games and much more taking place on Saturday, July 26.
• Weekly Veggie Giveaways: DPR's Communal Farms allow kids and community members to volunteer, participate in hands-on educational opportunities and receive free veggies four times a week at three locations across DC.
• Fitness in DC Gardens & Parks: Taking place monthly on the second Wednesday at DPR parks and gardens. Fitness sessions include yoga, Zumba and meditation.

In addition to the programs listed above, families can explore even more DPR activities and events, including fitness classes, movies, and neighborhood celebrations, at dprevents.com and dprprograms.com. A full calendar of citywide summer festivals and special events is available at summer.dc.gov/summerevents. For more DCPS-specific summer opportunities, families are encouraged to check in with their child's school and visit most.dc.gov.

Some of the most popular summer options filled quickly this year, including DPR's Camp Riverview, an overnight camp in Scotland, Maryland, featuring horseback riding, ATVs, and fishing; DPR Boost Camps for tweens ages 11-13, offering hands-on experiences in robotics and journalism; the DC Summer Swim League; and DCPS Summer Acceleration Academies for students in grades K-4, along with high school original credit courses that help students get ahead.

In addition to camps and learning opportunities, families can beat the summer heat at DC's free pools and spray parks, operated by DPR:

• Indoor pools are available year-round across the city. Visit dpr.dc.gov/indoorpools for a full list of locations and hours.
• Outdoor pools are now operating six days a week on individual schedules. For locations and schedules, visit dpr.dc.gov/outdoorpools.
• Spray parks across the city are operating daily. Some spray parks may be offline for scheduled weekly maintenance. To find the closest spray park, visit dpr.dc.gov/sprayparks.

Visit heat.dc.gov to find information about the District's heat emergency plan, locate cooling centers, and access important safety tips and available services. To stay informed about heat alerts and other emergency notifications, sign up for AlertDC at alert.dc.gov.

The Mayor's FY26 Budget, Grow DC, invests in both classroom learning and year-round enrichment for students. The budget includes $2.8 billion for DCPS and public charter schools, $270 million for teacher pay raises, and $2 billion to modernize school buildings across the city. It also includes $27 million to support out-of-school time grants, ensuring more than 17,000 students can access free, high-quality afterschool and summer programs that keep learning going all year long. Learn more at budget.dc.gov.

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