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Posted on: Friday, December 21st, 2018

New Theatre Programs

You’re Invited: Youth Theatre Offers Ample Opportunities For Everyone This Winter

See a Show—Audition for a Show!

We are excited to share winter productions upcoming at the Hockomock Area YMCA. If you have any questions, please contact juliap@hockymca.org.

Don’t Miss Our Next Performance: Guys & Dolls, Jr.

Performed by students ages 7-14 from the Broad-Y Academy
Saturday, FEB 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, FEB 10 at 1:00 p.m.
Marilyn Rodman Performing Arts Center (Orpheum Foxboro) (1 School St, Foxborough, MA)
Tickets at the Door

This beloved, toe tapping musical comedy is a true crowd pleaser.

Fill Your February Break (2/18-2/22/19) with Great Theatre Programs:

MON: THE ACTOR’S TOOLBOX
Monday, Feb 18 (9 AM- 4 PM) ages 5-11
Through a series of exercises and games, students will learn and develop the tools every actor brings with them—body, voice, mind, cooperation and imagination! A great introduction for new performers or a fun refresher for veterans of the stage.

TUES: MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE
Tuesday, Feb 19 (9 AM- 4 PM) ages 10-16
Students will spend the first half of the day learning sophisticated movement techniques for the actor through active exercises. During the afternoon, they will put their skills to the test by performing a musical production number from start to finish- singing, dancing, and acting! Perfect for experienced students looking to challenge themselves to become triple threat performers.

WED: IMPROVISATION
Wednesday, Feb 20 (9 AM- 4 PM) ages 7-16
Students will learn the rules and guidelines to successfully create scenes off the top of their heads! The session will include many favorite improv games and exercises to help students follow their impulses and think on their feet, while laughing a lot along the way. A fun day for students of all experience levels.

THURS: AUDITIONS 101
Thursday, Feb 21 (9 AM- 4 PM) ages 7-16
Auditions are often the most nerve wracking part of theatre. Learn the tips and tricks of the trade to make the most of your audition each time! We’ll cover it all- audition etiquette, cold readings, dance calls, song selection, and beyond. Perfect for students just beginning as actors and those who are looking to bring their skills to the next level.

FRI: DAY OF GAMES
Friday, Feb 22 (9 AM- 4 PM) ages 7-16
Just what it sounds like! The entire session will be spent playing our favorite theatre games and learning some new ones along the way. We’ll end the day with a game share, where students can teach the group some of their own favorites.

COST PER DAY FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE PROGRAMS: $55/members, $83/program members

Mansfield Arts YMCA (40 Balcom St, Mansfield)

REGISTER FOR THEATRE PROGRAMS

» UPCOMING » AUDITIONS » UPCOMING » AUDITIONS

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE: Theatre Institute auditions for ages 14-18

JAN 2-5 by appointment*
Mansfield Arts YMCA 40 Balcom St, Mansfield
Performs: MAR 15-16, 2019
Show details *after registering, contact juliap@hockymca.org to schedule an audition. All registered students are cast in scenes/songs throughout the production.

REGISTER FOR AUDITIONS

» Printable Theatre Catalogue

Posted on: Friday, December 14th, 2018

Major Renovation to North Attleboro Y Gymnasium

Our North Attleboro Y is getting a New Gymnasium

Major renovations began in November. The new gymnasium will open Saturday, January 5th. Here’s what to expect from your newly renovated gymnasium!

Completed as of January 5:
New Maple Hardwood Floor
Painted Ceiling & Walls, providing a brighter more welcoming space
New LED Lights & Fixtures
New Stereo System for our group exercise classes
Four New Backboards
New Motorized Court Dividers, allowing for multiple activities happening in the gymnasium at once

To Be Completed by January 31:
Installation of 2 Sets of Bleachers
Installation of 2 Additional Backboards
New Scoreboard
New Maple Veneered Wall Panels for optimal acoustics & aesthetics

We are excited about our new Gymnasium and look forward to sharing it with our members and the community. See you on the court!

Posted on: Thursday, December 13th, 2018

Teamwork & Sportsmanship: the Fundamentals of Youth Basketball

Come play in our newly renovated gym

Whether your child is just starting, new to team sports, or playing regularly, the Y’s youth basketball leagues are not to be missed as we open our newly renovated gymnasium in North Attleboro this January.

Maybe you learned to play at the Y? Our league program helps kids improve skills, make new friends and stay active and connected. We hope you will join us.

Runs: Sundays, January 13 – March 3, 2019

THE DETAILS:
YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE FOR 4–8 YR OLDS

Focus is on skill development, sportsmanship, and fun
Practices are developed to meet the needs of each group
The season will start with three practices and close with five weeks of games
Cost: $84 for Hockomock Area YMCA Youth members and $126 for program members
Family-type Hockomock Area YMCA members receive the leagues experience at no cost, other than uniform fee of $10
Sundays | Times: 4 YRS 10:30am; 5–6 YRS 11:30am; 7–8 YRS 12:30pm
All groups will meet for 1 hour (Jan 13-March 3)
NORTH ATTLEBORO Y (300 Elmwood Street, North Attleboro)

For the younger players, we encourage you to participate in YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE PREP. In this 45-minute class, three-year olds will have the chance to develop fundamental basketball skills, including dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense as well as basic game play. Time: 9:30am-10:15am, Sundays Jan 13-March 3, 2019. Cost: $71 (member), $107 (program member).

We look forward to honoring the Y’s rich history as the founder of basketball this winter. See you on the courts!

Register Today

Posted on: Monday, December 3rd, 2018

Register for Winter Programs

Our upcoming programs are open for enrollment and are about encouraging active and connected lifestyles as we move into the winter months. Our Youth Program Guide has all the details.

SWIM LESSONS

Swimming is a life skill. At the Y, our swim lessons prepare kids of all ages to stay safe and have fun in the water, building strong swimmers and confident kids. We accommodate varying abilities and foster a sense of achievement as swimmers progress between levels. View our Swim Curriculum

NEW THIS WINTER
Dodgeball & Kickball Classes, all branches (for ages 5-10)
Indoor Golf (@ the Foxboro & Franklin Y for ages 2-5)
Gym and Swim – 75 min. of both preschool gymnastics & swim lessons (@ the Foxboro & Franklin Y: Tuesdays 1pm)
Flag Football Prep, all branches(for ages 3-5)

GYMNASTICS CLASSES
Me & My Baby (infant-2 yrs)
Me & My Shadow (2-3 yrs)
Me & My Tumbler (2-4 yrs)
Tiny Tumblers (3-5 yrs)
Tumble Bees (4-5 yrs)
Hot Shots (4-6 yrs)
and more progressive classes through age 14 as well as our competitive gymnastics programs.

FITNESS CLASSES
Kids Running Club, all branches (for ages 5-10)
Healthy Chef, all branches (for ages 3-11)
Be Strong, all branches (for ages 5-13 as well as high school students) This program introduces kids to strength training in ways that are fun, creative and motivating.
Sports Performance Training, all branches (for ages 11-13 as well as high school students)

STEM & ART CLASSES
STEM Mash Up Classes, all branches (for Ages 3-8)
Lego Robotics, all branches (ages 5-11)
Rockets & Roller Coasters, Foxboro (ages 7-11)
Mixed Media Art, all branches (ages 6-9)

NEW THEATRE PROGRAMS
A Year with Frog and Toad production registration begins January 29. Auditions will be held on March 19 & 26 with performances on May 4 & 5.
A Cyrano De Burger Shack production registration also begins January 29 for ages 11-14. Auditions taking place March 20 & 27 with performances taking place June 8 & 9
For all the details on our Theatre Program, visit our Theatre Guide.

Enroll Today!

Winter session will run 1/2-2/17/19. No paid classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Please note sports classes at the North Attleboro Branch will begin 1/7/19 once the Gymnasium Renovation is complete.

Posted on: Saturday, November 10th, 2018

Signups now happening for Basketball/Cheerleading Leagues

Everybody plays, everybody wins

Improve your skills, make new friends, be active, and learn to love a sport at the Y.

The Hockomock Area YMCA is now enrolling for Youth Basketball Leagues! Season runs: November 30, 2018 – January 26, 2019 in Foxboro and Franklin. Season in North Attleboro runs: January 13 – March 3.

YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE (4–8 YRS)

Focus is on skill development, sportsmanship, and fun. Practices are developed to meet the needs of each group. COST: $10 (family-type member ~ pay only the shirt fee), $84 (member), $126 (program member)

Fridays:
@FOXBORO, 9-11 YRS 6:00pm
Saturdays:
@FRANKLIN 4 YRS 10:15am; 5–6 YRS 11:30am; 7–8 YRS 12:45pm
@FOXBORO 4 YRS 10:00am; 5–6 YRS 11:15am -or- 12:30pm; 7–8 YRS 1:45pm
Sundays beginning Jan 13:
@NORTH ATTLEBORO 4 YRS 10:30am; 5–6 YRS 11:30am; 7–8 YRS 12:30pm

CHEERLEADING LEAGUE (6-9–YRS)

Girls interested in cheering and tumbling, you have the chance to learn routines and cheer at four basketball games in North Attleboro. 1-HR on Sundays 11:30am (8 weeks begins Jan. 13). COST: $40 (family-type member ~ pay only the uniform fee), $114 (member), $171 (program member).

REGISTER TODAY!

NOTE: You’ll also find a parent/child class for your youngest baller—running the same days as basketball leagues. Enroll today in BASKETBALL PREP (AGE 3). Classes run 45 minutes and cost: $71 (all members other than program members), $107 (program member).

Posted on: Monday, October 15th, 2018

The Place To Be – YMCA Classes in Milford After School

The Hockomock Area YMCA is proud to partner with the Milford School District to offer after school enrichment programs on-site at Woodland Elementary and at Stacy Middle School. The goal is to ensure safety for youth, while promoting healthy physical & emotional growth, helping working families & inspiring youth to learn. The Y strives to help each child reach their full potential by offering a positive & enriching environment that encourages the development of character, leadership & cooperative spirit.

CLASSES RUN: NOV. 26 – DEC. 21, 2018

If you have any question about classes, please reach out to our Bernon Family YMCA below or simply call the front desk.

Bernon Y Membership Director: Chelas Poirier at chelasp@hockymca.org

Hockomock Y Child Care Director: Kim Jennings at kjennings@hockymca.org

Enrichment Classes at Stacy Middle School:

DIGITAL GAME DESIGN: MONDAYS 2:15 – 3:15PM
Use Unreal Engine 2D/3D game design software to learn scene and character design, programming, story crafting/writing, physics/math, and how to bring imagination to life in game design.
$90 per student

LET’S IMPROV!: MONDAYS 2:15 – 3:15 PM
Prepare to laugh out loud! Students will learn how to think on their feet and follow their impulses through the art of improvisation. Use silly games, fast paced exercises, and your imagination to respond creatively to unexpected situations and develop stories on the spot.
$45 per student

HIP HOP: TUESDAYS 2:15 – 3:15 PM
Get ready to dance and have fun. Weekly, kids will learn new moves and create a final mini performance for families to enjoy! $45 per student

ACTOR’S TOOLBOX: WEDNESDAYS 2:15 – 3:15 PM
Body, voice, mind, imagination…Through creative exoercises and games, students will explore and practice these important tools in order to grow as actors. Not to mention, we’ll have a lot of fun along the way!
$55 per student

ELECTRIFY: THURSDAYS 2:15 – 3:15 PM
Work with peers learning about electricity, including circuit-building. Students will make light up wands, stop lights, greeting cards, and chibi-copters while exploring how we use and distribute electricity.
$55 per student

Register: After School Classes at Stacy Middle School

Enrichment Classes at Woodland School:

LET’S IMPROV!: TUESDAYS 2:40 – 3:40 PM
Prepare to laugh out loud! Students will learn how to think on their feet and follow their impulses through the art of improvisation. Use silly games, fast paced exercises, and your imagination to respond creatively to unexpected situations and develop stories on the spot.
$45 per child

ELECTRIFY: TUESDAYS 2:40 – 3:40 PM
Work with peers learning about electricity, including circuit-building. Students will make light up wands, stop lights, greeting cards, and chibi-copters while exploring how we use and distribute electricity.
$55 per child

ACTOR’S TOOLBOX: THURSDAYS 2:40 – 3:40 PM
Body, voice, mind, imagination…Through creative exoercises and games, students will explore and practice these important tools in order to grow as actors. Not to mention, we’ll have a lot of fun along the way! $45 per child

HIP HOP: THURSDAYS 2:40 – 3:40 PM
Get ready to dance and have fun. Weekly, kids will learn new moves and create a final mini performance for families to enjoy! $45 per child

Register: After School Classes at Woodland School

Posted on: Monday, October 15th, 2018

Nurture Your Kid’s Curiosity

The Y is helping build the next group of leaders through Enrichment and STEM programs. Won’t you join us? Fall 2 classes start the week of October 29 and it’s not too late to grab your spot!

Enrichment activities with kids can provide new opportunities for learning. From infant playgroups to mixed media art class, the Y has great options to keep your kids entertained and engaged while making friends.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH — Developing Youth Through STEM:

Youth who participate in STEM activities: Learn how to solve a problem, Develop critical-thinking skills, Get comfortable with failure and trying again, Learn to work successfully in teams, Develop self-confidence, Are able to see themselves in STEM careers. Kids will have so much fun in classes upcoming such as Kitchen Science and Lego Robotics, they won’t know they are learning (but we will).

ENRICHMENT/STEM CLASSES @ THE FRANKLIN Y:

STEM Mash Up (ages 3-5) Mondays 3:30-4:30PM
Story Adventurers (ages 3-4) Tuesdays 11:30AM-12:20PM
Kitchen Science (ages 5-8) Tuesdays 4:30-5:30PM
STEM Mash Up (ages 5-8) Fridays 3:30-4:30PM

ENRICHMENT/STEM CLASSES @ THE FOXBORO Y:

STEM Mash Up (ages 3-5) Mondays 11:00-12:00PM
STEM Mash Up (ages 5-8) Wednesdays 4:00-5:00PM
Rockets And Rollercoasters (ages 7-11) Mondays 4:30-5:30PM
Y Playgroup w/ Playground Park & Gym (ages 0-2) Tuesdays 9:30-10:15AM
Healthy Chef (ages 3-5) Wednesdays 10:30-11:30AM
Story Adventurers (ages 3-4) Wednesdays 11:30AM-12:20PM
Parent/Child Healthy Cooking (all ages) Wednesdays 6:15-7:15PM
Mommy And Me Infant Playtime (ages 0-1) Thursdays 9:30-10:00AM
Lego Robotics (ages 7-11) Fridays 4:30-5:30PM
Healthy Chef (ages 6-9) Fridays 5:45-6:45PM
Healthy Chef (ages 9+) Saturdays 10:00-11:00AM
Mixed Media Art Class (ages 6-9) Saturdays 3:30-4:30PM

ENRICHMENT/STEM CLASSES @ THE NORTH ATTLEBORO Y:

Sprouts (ages 1-2) Mondays 9:15-10:15AM
STEM Mash Up (ages 3-5) Mondays 10:00-11:00AM
Creative Cooking (ages 8-11) Mondays 4:30-5:30PM
Kitchen Science (ages 4-6) Mondays 4:00-5:00PM
Pop Culture Cooking (ages 3-5) Tuesdays 9:30-10:30AM
Caterpillars (ages 2-3) Wednesdays 9:30-11:00AM
Creative Cooking (ages 5-8) Tuesdays 4:30-5:30PM
Caterpillars (ages 2-3) Wednesdays 9:30-11:00AM
Preschool Jumbler (ages 3-5) Wednesdays -or- Thursdays 1:00-2:00PM
Cocoon (ages 3-4) Thursdays 9:30-10:45AM
Story Adventurers (ages 3-4) Thursdays 11:00-11:50AM
Mixed Media Art Class (ages 6-9) Thursdays 4:00-5:00PM
Lego Robotics (ages 7-11) Thursdays 4:00-5:00PM
Butterfly (ages 4-5) Fridays 9:15-10:45AM
Kitchen Science (ages 6-10) Fridays 4:00-5:00PM
STEM Mash Up (ages 5-8) Saturdays 9:00-10:00AM

Register: Franklin

Register: Foxboro

Register: North Attleboro

Posted on: Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018

New Preschool Drama Classes

Our new Fall enrichment classes are open for enrollment and encourage youth to try new things. We encourage you to consider the youth development benefits that come from early exposure to drama and creative play.

TRY A THEATRE CLASS!
Story Adventurers is a new offering. Each week, students will use creative play and movement to explore favorite stories. Our youngest actors are assisted toward the cultivation of imagination, creativity, and teamwork. Family and friends are invited to attend the final class for an informal demonstration of our work.

Story Adventurers @ the Franklin Y
Weekly on Tuesdays, Oct 30 – Dec 19, 2018
11:30am – 12:20pm
45 Forge Hill Rd, Franklin, MA

Story Adventurers @ the Foxboro Y
Weekly on Wednesdays, Oct 31 – Dec 20, 2018
11:30am – 12:20pm
67 Mechanic St, Foxborough, MA

Story Adventurers @ the North Attleboro Y
Weekly on Thursdays, Nov 1 – Dec 21, 2018
11:00am – 11:50am
300 Elmwood St, North Attleborough, MA

Register for Story Adventurers Today!

Cost: $80 (member); $120 (program member). Questions? Please contact juliap@hockymca.org. See you at the Y!

Posted on: Sunday, September 9th, 2018

Healthy Weight & Your Child: New Program

The Hockomock Area YMCA is excited to announce a new program called Healthy Weight and Your Child Program which empowers 7-13 year olds, with the support of their families, to reach a healthy weight and live a healthier lifestyle.

The Healthy Weight and Your Child program emphasizes three elements: healthy eating, regular physical activity and behavior change, engages the whole family, so together they can understand how the home environment and other factors influence the choices that lead to a healthy weight.

Made up of groups of eight to 15 children and their parents/caregivers, the program creates a safe, fun, and active environment for children and their families to explore and adopt proven methods to living a healthier lifestyle. The program is an evidence-based model, developed by leading child health and weight management specialists using the best available research, as well as clinical and government guidelines. The sessions are facilitated by trained content and activity leaders who are committed to engaging the whole family.

Interested families should contact Marykate Bergen at marykateb@hockymca.org or call 508-339-4053 to register to attend the session.

The Hockomock Area YMCA has been involved with youth obesity prevention since 2007, which marked the start of their Healthy Futures Initiative designed to create healthier communities. Healthy Weight and Your Child is a 25-session program, which includes 20 sessions delivered two times per week, followed by five weekly sessions. Sessions are two hours in length with the first hour delivered in a classroom setting and the second hour focusing on physical activity. A family Y membership is provided for the duration of the program.

To be eligible for the program, each child must be between the ages of 7 and 13, have a body mass index greater than or equal to the 95th percentile, be cleared for physical activity by a health care provider or school nurse, and accompanied by a parent or caregiver at every session.

Thanks to a generous grant from CHNA 6 and the continued support of the Stop & Shop Our Family Foundation, there will be no cost for the first eight families who enroll.

The first program will begin in Franklin in October. The Franklin class will be Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The class in Milford is currently being planned and the goal is to launch early 2019 with interest at a Milford location. For more information, please contact Marykate Bergen at marykateb@hockymca.org or call 508-339-4053.

Posted on: Saturday, September 8th, 2018

YMCA Teen Leaders Help Rebuild Houston

One year ago the city of Houston and southeastern Texas were devastated by Hurricane Harvey. The tragedy spurred our Teen Leaders to action and the results are something we are so proud to share.

As you may know, Hockomock Area YMCA’s Teen Leaders Clubs are available to all kids in middle and high school—combining leadership, volunteering, and community service opportunities with fun and fellowship. Alyssa Boutin, Teen Director at the Foxboro Y, wanted to get kids involved right away to address the Houston situation. “We talked about how it would feel to have to return to school amidst turmoil left from the natural disaster. Many of their peers in Houston were without basic necessities that we tend to take for granted.”

Boutin arranged for the Greater Houston YMCA’s Leaders Club to skype with club members at the Hockomock Area YMCA. “We learned they were going to school despite a lot of damage and loss of electricity and were in need of some of the most basic items, like tooth brushes and tooth paste or shampoo, soap, and clothing,” said Boutin.

Resultant of that conversation, our teens orchestrated a relief drive that generated nine boxes of essentials weighing over 200 pounds. The teens gathered donations from drop bins at each of the Hockomock Area YMCA facilities and sent them off to the YMCA in Houston. Bags of hygiene-related donations had come in to the bins located at each of our facilities.

“Membership at the YMCA is about building spirit, mind, and body,” said Executive Director Patrick Murphy of the Foxboro Y. “It was not surprising to see the generous response from our members. They are great examples to our teens as they learn about social responsibility and how they are called to make a positive difference.”

Houston teens were grateful recipients of the supplies. In turn, they offered up an invitation for our Leaders to join Teen Escape: a program designed for teens across the country to make real impact on a community in need. The 2018 destination was Houston and transportation would be covered by Southwest Airlines.

On July 22, seven teens from the Hockomock Area YMCA left for Houston and spent five days working on rebuilding homes. The youth that traveled had been chosen based on their essays during an application process conducted by Boutin and her counterparts in Franklin and North Attleboro. They joined YMCAs from Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, North Carolina, and Houston—all told over 75 people contributed to the rebuilding of Houston through Teen Escape.

“We worked on seven houses to get families back in their homes,” said Boutin who accompanied the Leaders. In addition to cleaning up debris remaining from Hurricane Harvey, the teens painted, removed walls and installed new drywall, and replaced tile and floorboards. The crew met a woman whose family left their home when water reached the four foot mark. The morning after Harvey hit, they waded through the water until they arrived at a high point in the neighborhood where a relative was waiting to help.

They also worked on a house for a retired nurse whom they enjoyed speaking to. She shared that she had lived in her house for 50 years. She’d stayed through Hurricane Harvey and had no intentions of ever leaving, so repairs to the house to keep it standing were critical.

“When we met her in her home and heard her story, I think that’s when the teens truly understood the impact they were making,” said Boutin. “It was an experience we all learned from and are determined to bring back here, encouraging others to make a difference.”

Pictured (left to right): BACK ROW Bobby Saba (of the Foxboro Y), Michelle Mattson (of the North Attleboro Y), AJ Jaber (of the Foxboro Y), Dan Brennock (Executive Branch Director, North Attleboro Y), Alyssa Boutin (Teen Director, Foxboro Y); FRONT ROW: Valentina Ipatova (of the Foxboro Y), Maddy Jankowski (of the North Attleboro Y), Megan Flaherty (of the North Attleboro Y), Corinne McMorrow (of the Franklin Y)

BERNON FAMILY BRANCH	45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA 02038	508.528.8708
INVENSYS FOXBORO BRANCH	67 Mechanic Street Foxboro, MA 02035	508.543.2523
HURLEY FAMILY BRANCH	300 Elmwood Street North Attleboro, MA 02760	508.695.7001
MANSFIELD ARTS & EDUCATION CENTER	40 Balcom Street Mansfield, MA 02048	508.339.3066