Less than two weeks away from the beginning of our summer program and we are counting down the days! Summer days at Y.O.U. are the epitome of exploration and discovery with bikes as our tools. From upon our bikes the city transforms from a place that is familiar to a whole new world. Our passionate instructors, guided by the curiosity of our youth, find a lesson and an adventure around every corner.

This summer we are lucky to be hosting over 120 youth from YW Kids, the RAPPP program, Nativity Prep, Our Sister’s School, and throughout the New Bedford community! This summer is sure to an exciting one for our kids; our schedule is already packed with adventures, near and far. From UMass Dartmouth's School for Marine Science & Technology to Osprey Kayaks in Westport, our youth will be broadening their perspectives through new experiences from July 3rd up until the end of August. Eight weeks barely seems enough to contain all of the fun, but once E.Y.E. rolls around we are at full speed until summer’s end.

It’s tough to describe a “typical” summer day at Y.O.U., but if we must… Each day the kids arrive to a warm welcome and a tasty treat, and then gear up for the day--strapping on their helmets, storing cold water bottles, and stuffing bags with the stuff of adventure (towels for swimming and sunblock, of course). From there, “typical” goes out the window! Generally we ride around on the peninsula, making stops along the way as instructors see fit or as youth make requests. We harvest garden veggies, collect sea glass, pick flowers, bird watch, climb forts, swing at the playground, and laugh a lot along the way! Each week usually includes a special field trip and a Friday afternoon at Clark’s Point Creamery.

We look forward to soaking up the sun and sea breeze, and getting to know some of the coolest kids in New Bedford this summer! Look out for us around the peninsula, it’ll be hard to miss the train of bikes spotted with neon yellow vested instructors and cheery kids shouting “left turn!” and “stopping” :)