Vancouver Police Activities League holds free camp for Orchards Elementary kids

• Mission: To promote positive relationships between police officers and youth through community based educational programs and recreational opportunities.

• Law enforcement partners: Vancouver Police and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, more.

• Programs: Include literacy, mentoring, academic success, careers in law enforcement, sports including basketball, golf, boxing and jiu jitsu.

• Contact: Jenny Thompson, executive director at 360-487-7487 or jenny.thompson@cityofvancouver.us; 605 E. Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver.

• Information: www.vancouverpal.com

Summer camp grant

• Funded by: Nonprofit Network Southwest Washington.

• On the Web: nonprofitnetworkwa.org

Dribbling the basketball down the court, a boy passed the ball, but his teammate didn’t catch it. The ball bounced out of bounds.

“It’s out! It’s out! It’s your ball, Daniel!” shouted J.P. Henry, recreation assistant.

About two dozen elementary school-age kids were engrossed in their basketball game in the Orchards Elementary School gym on a June morning. The weeklong basketball camp was part of a free, nine-week summer camp offered to Orchards students by the Vancouver Police Activities League. During the school year, the Police Activities League offers a variety of programs to kids in low-income schools.

The camp schedule was divided into nine weeklong units including sports, the outdoors, science and cultural arts.

The camp was funded by a Giving Circle grant of more than $4,000 from the Nonprofit Network Southwest Washington. There is no cost for kids to attend the day camp, three hours each weekday through Aug. 21.

Although the kids at Orchards Elementary have many attributes, deep pockets is not one. More than 75 percent of Orchards students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. That’s 62 percent higher than Evergreen Public Schools’ average of 46.3 percent.

In comparison, a similar Vancouver Parks & Recreation day camp could cost up to $179 per child. Other day camps in Clark County require even deeper pockets.

If not for the free summer camp at their neighborhood school, the kids who attend Orchards Elementary may not have a chance to experience a summer camp.

During the intense, scrappy basketball game, kids fought for the ball and tumbled to the floor. If they hadn’t been at camp, it’s likely these kids would be at home, and possibly in front of a TV or computer screen. Perhaps they would be unsupervised while their parents were at work.

“We’re hoping that, depending on the camp’s popularity and as the economy continues to improve, we’ll expand the program,” said Jenny Thompson, executive director of PAL. Thompson wore a whistle around her neck and served as basketball referee as well as head cheerleader to her charges.

As many of the substitute players stood on the bench and yelled encouragement to their teammates pounding down the court, the decibel level intensified.

Suddenly, the noise tapered off. Heads turned to watch two uniformed Vancouver Police officers walk into the gym and wave at the kids.

A player holding a ball left the court, approached the officers and offered his handshake. Then, other kids rushed forward to greet the police officers.

The free summer camp provides fun, supervised activities that keep kids engaged and active. But it also provides an opportunity for low-income kids to have positive interaction with police officers who work in their neighborhood.

“We try to drop in when we can,” said Officer Tyler Chavers, who greeted kids and answered myriad questions about his gear, including his bulletproof vest, firearm and his Taser weapon.

Meanwhile, another kid passed a basketball to Officer Julie Ballou. She grinned, dribbled the ball onto the court and started shooting hoops with the kids.

After hoop-shooting skills were displayed, one kid asked Ballou about her handcuffs. She obliged by snapping them onto his wrists. Eager kids lined up and held out their arms to be the next to wear the handcuffs.

“This is what I put on the bad guys when I take them to jail,” Ballou said.

Ballou quizzed the kids on their safety precautions. Do they always wear a bike helmet? Do they wear a helmet when they skateboard? What should they do if they see a gun?

“Never touch a gun. Tell an adult,” Ballou said.

Next, the kids filed outside and crowded around the patrol car with all doors open and lights flashing. The kids peered inside.

“That’s very, very sweet!” a boy said as he walked closer to the car.

Ballou instructed the kids they could sit in the back seat “but don’t touch anything in the front seat.”

Immediately, three kids ducked into the back seat to get a close-up view.

“Cool! They have a computer inside!” one said.

“Juvie’s awesome!” another said.

Officer Ballou took the opportunity to enlighten. She talked so loudly that all the kids could hear.

“No! I never want to hear you guys say you want to go to juvie!” Ballou said. “Juvie is not awesome.”

Outside on the school sidewalk, Chavers continued answering questions about his weapons.

“Do you have a bazooka?” a boy asked him.

“No.”

“Do you have a grenade launcher?” the boy asked again.

Clearly, the boy’s perception of law enforcement weaponry had been skewed by movies and TV.

“No,” Chavers chuckled. “We leave that to the military.”

Then it was time for the police officers to get back to patrolling the neighborhood.

“I’ll do the siren as we leave,” Ballou told the kids. “I’m going to go look for some bad guys to take to jail now.”

Ballou and Chavers waved goodbye to the kids and climbed into their patrol car.

Lined up against the school wall, some kids held hands over their ears while they waited expectantly for the siren.

Lights flashing, the patrol car pulled out. As promised, the siren wailed. Loudly.

Kids smiled. Some waved at the departing patrol car and shouted, “Bye!”

Then they headed back inside their school for more fun.