Enormous thanks to all the families on the Westhill for an exciting return to Skyway in 2023! From meeting neighbors monthly at the Skyway Resource Center Distributions to hosting Summer Sack Lunch weekly at Skyway Park, the WCTP Rec Aides were thrilled with every opportunity to engage with the community.
Our top twelve Skyway Parks and Rec highlights of 2023 (as ranked by the Skyway Park Rec Aides) included:
Summer Sack Lunch at Skyway Park featured sunny days under the picnic shelter, sharing lunch with local families. The neighbors kindly welcomed the team to the park on Tuesdays and Thursdays all summer long! Rec Aides and participants alike loved the shade provided by the picnic shelter, the Red Alder trees, and the water leaving the Skyway Park wetlands to join Taylor Creek.
Locals and visitors alike enjoyed the recently refurbished basketball courts at the south end of Skyway Park. In particular, the Rec Aides appreciated the new court lights that can be activated at the push of a button. Shoutout to the Kraken for support in upgrading the courts and featuring four snazzy murals.
Top on every Rec Aide’s list were all the local families we met along the way! We loved making chalk murals, playing board games, crafting paper bag pinatas, reading stories, and hunting for trolls with each and every one of you!
Thank you to the Skyway Resource Center and King County Seattle Public Health for all the amazing 2023 Skyway Resource Distributions! We looked forward every month to joining families and Resource Providers to share custom created Swag Bags full of art supplies and craft projects. Plans are currently underway for the 2024 distributions.
Takeover events with the West Hill Community Association were always a blasty blast! Rec Aides split the vote between the Skyway Park Takeover and the Downtown Skyway Winter takeover; both events were a ton of fun with epic entertainment! Please count us in for all the Movies in the Park shenanigans in 2024.
All in, the Rec Aides estimate 8200 crafts were crafted in 2023. Fan favorites included beaded snakes, paper bag pinatas, monster masks, origami frogs, pokeball puzzles, and of course . . . popsicle stick puppets.
Jose, Jimmy, Sebastian, Landon and Alice all agreed there was nothing better than Parachute Games at Skyway Park! In fact, demand was so high that the team created a DIY parachute game video that you can check out HERE.
GOALLLLLLLL! Soccer at Skyway Park was a fan favorite all year long. In particular, park patrons of all ages enjoyed the new mini soccer stadium near the playground at the north end of the park.
The Rec Aides carefully reviewed play structures county wide and awarded 5 out of 5 chipmunks for the new playground at the north end of Skyway Park. ”The swings are solid, the spinny buckets are supper spinny, and the climbing dome is an instant must climb.” – Big Al
The entire team of the King County Library System Skyway Branch was exceptional to work with the whole year through. We look forward to several exciting collaborations in 2024!
Rec Aide created DIY Craft Videos featuring all the most popular projects of 2023 including . . . Snake Kites! The full line up of fresh videos can be found at @WhiteCenterTeenProgram
School Year Rec Aides Landon and Jimmy kept the Parks and Rec programming going all the way through the end of 2023. You can find them year round at school resource fairs, at community takeovers, and at the Skyway Resource Distribution events.
And a bonus shoutout to the Skyway Fire Department and the annual Safety Fair! We can’t wait to return in 2024!
For the full story (and schedule) on all things Rec Aides in Skyway in 2024, stay tuned at: Skyway Rec Aides – White Center Teen Program (wcteenprogram.org)
Recruitment for the Rec Aides program takes place every spring. Reach out to Darlene Sellers at darlene.sellers@kingcounty.gov, if you know a teen who’s interested!
White Center Teen Program 
Leave a comment