I was a kid once – about 50 or more years ago. I remember the summertime opportunities were much more scarce than they are today. We used to swim at West Harbor Pond and in the ocean off what is now Barrett’s Park (but not on that property) and Hendricks Head Beach. We used to organize some baseball games on local fields (even before the local Little League was formed in 1969) and bicycles were our form of transportation as parents were busy working. Bicycling around town seemed to be safer back then with less traffic. Board games, reading (no internet – thankfully) and TV (without cable) filled in the time gaps on rainy days.

The opportunities for kids in the region these days are great. Two articles the newspaper received this week reminded me of such.

The Boothbay Sea and Science Center, a brainchild of Pauline Dion, now located in East Boothbay thanks to the Carter family’s donation of land and buildings, has been in existence for a decade. According to its website, “BSSC opened its doors in 2013 offering a rowing and sailing program for youth ages 5 – 17. Since that time, BSSC has integrated marine science into its summer program, brought the Exploring the Science of Seaweed Farming school year program into Maine schools, and hosts an after-school Science Club for middle-schoolers.”

Having grown up here in the region, this program was something I would have enjoyed and some of my friends would have, too. Learning about marine science would have perhaps led me to another profession.

Another current summertime opportunity not available during my formative years is Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library’s summer reading program, the Summer Reading Passport. Reading to win prizes, like bikes, gift certificates for buying books, backpacks and more? It is a dream activity for kids who like to read. I would have enjoyed that opportunity very much.

There are other opportunities for kids around the region which I will perhaps mention another time but I wanted to give credit to the Sea and Science Center and the Memorial Library for their many years of keeping kids engaged in learning during their break from regular schooling.