Carroll County Recreation and Parks programs for spring 2014 are now taking registration and a number of new and returning programs are available that go beyond the staple sports like baseball and lacrosse, according to Becky Kishter, a community recreation specialist.
New programs include an engineering fundamentals workshop for youth that will utilize legos, Kishter said, a sewing program for participants of all ages and a Teens on the Go program.
"We don't have a lot of camp programs for teens, so this is for spring break, a program where they are going lot of places on four of the five days they are off [school]," she said. "It includes a trip to Hershey Park."
Teens in grades 6 through 10 will take a trip per day from April 14 through April 17, going zip-lining in Rockville, spelunking in West Virginia, hiking in Potomac and culminating in the Hershey Park trip.
Chaperones are required for the April 14 trip and Kishter said the parent or guardian of each child must contact Lisa Carroll at lcarroll@ccg.carr.org to inquire about the availability of chaperones.
Kishter said that Engineering FUNdamentals with Lego is the newest program, which will run in two workshop sessions on March 8 for ages 5 through 7 and March 15 ages 8 through 11.
"It's really just a workshop right now as we are looking to run it as a summer camp and we want to get see how much response we get," she said. "It is a hands-on workshop where they will display different projects with robotics and architecture and spark the interest in engineering for that age group."
"Sew Fantastic!" will be a weekly program for children and their parents that will run from March 29 through May 3, according to instructor Olivia Canfield.
"It's basically to give [children] more confidence in using their own sewing machine, though we do have a couple extra for those without machines to use," Canfield said. "They will be able to make a headband, a tote bag and a pillow case."
Kishter said this spring will also see several new bus trips, the soonest of which will be the March 7 trip to Philadelphia for the 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show, which will be $65 per person.
While the trip is appropriate for all ages, Kishter said anyone younger than the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
"The fee includes the entry to the flower-mart and the marketplace, which has 180 vendors with garden furniture, tools and plants and flowers," Kishter said. "[The bus] departs from the Farm Museum at 8 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m."
Another relatively new program will be Martial Arts Fitness for Youth, a program for 5 to 11-year-olds at Shaddock MMA Fitness in Sykesville.
"It's mixed marital arts program so they get a little bit of each style of martial arts. They'll be able to learn boxing and kickboxing, they'll be able to learn wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu," said John Shaddock, owner and instructor at Shaddock MMA Fitness. "We do skills, but we also mix in games to keep it fun. We do karate dodge-ball. It's both for fitness and self defense."
Kishter said this spring will also see the return the very popular fencing course, which had suffered for a lack of an instructor last year.
"We found a new person so we're able to bring it back for the spring and hopefully it will go again in the fall," Kishter said. "It's a beginning fencing program so no experience is required, but experienced fencers are also welcome. [The instructor] will bring equipment or bring you your own and it is for ages 7 to adult."
Information on all Recreation and Parks spring programs - which run from March through May - is available in printed guides at the Carroll County Public Library branches, County Office and Senior and Community Centers. The guides are also available online at http://www.ccrecpark.org, where those who wish to participate may also go to register.
