Summer is here again and the kids are out of school. If you are looking for activities for a child between the ages of 11-18 take time to check out the 2008 Youth Activity Summer Guide.

The mission statement of the Wichita Youth Activity Advancement Alliance is: To support developmentally appropriate recreational and enrichment programs for youth ages 11-18. You can contact any of the member agencies to see what's going on in Wichita for school aged kids and teens.

Students at Jefferson Elementary have a new place to play during recess. The school has brand-new playground equipment for older and younger students because of a grant from the Lattner Foundation. The school had a dedication ceremony for their playground on May 20 to thank the Lattner Foundation, which provided $40,000 for the project, along with other community partners and district staff. "When I first came to Jefferson this year, I saw how badly we needed a playground," said principal Janice Aschenbrenner.

On May 3, Jefferson staff, School Service Center crews, and volunteers from Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Kansas Surgery and Recovery Center, and Westar worked all day to assemble the playground. Quickcrete donated cement to secure the equipment in place. "We no longer have an empty lot, but a field of opportunity," student Tajahnae Stocker told the crowd during the dedication ceremony. The Kansas Surgery and Recovery Center also donated a walking path for the playground and circuit track training information along the path to encourage exercise and healthy habits.

The Kansas Health Foundation awarded $300,000 today to the Wichita Community Foundation to promote health and wellness activities in the Wichita area. Officially identified as the "Nutrition and Physical Activity Expansion Project," the goal of the collaborative project is "to promote physical activity and good nutrition for every generation living in the Wichita area through people, program and policies."

Specific strategies will be coordinated through the four year old Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita which boasts over 40 members ranging from area corporations to nonprofit organizations. Mim Wilkey of the YMCA will lead the project, with the Wichita Community Foundation acting as fiscal agent.

First year activities will include community gatherings, focus groups and meetings of health coalition partners to discuss Wichita-specific survey strategies and outreach to community groups representing diverse neighborhoods and constituencies. The goal is simple, to let the community define the desirable components of "a healthy lifestyle." Grants totaling $172,585 will be competitively awarded in years two and three of the project in pursuit of local policies designed to increase physical activity and good nutrition, leading to the healthy lifestyle goal. The Kansas Health Foundation is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. Based in Wichita, the Foundation's assets total over $528 million with more than $24 million paid out annually in the areas of children's health, leadership, public health and policy.

Kansas Grown Farmers' Markets provide area Kansas producers a means of marketing Kansas grown or produced products.

For more information on hours, locations, vendors, and upcoming events click here!

Don't wait for the festivals and fairs to treat the kids to snow cones. Make them yourself! They're great for groups, so serve them up at your summer parties! To make any snow cone healthier try substituting any frozen juice concentrate of your choice!

Click here for a great snow cone recipe! Remember this for the next time you make a snow cone: every oz. of syrup=about 100 calories and most snow cones served at vendors are about 12 oz., making the average snow cone is about 365 calories depending on the amount of syrup you use

Touchdown Taco Dip Thin & Healthy Forever cookbook by Victory Management and Donna Krech

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread bean dip over bottom of baking dish. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning mix and garlic. Spread mixture over bean dip. Grate cheese over top and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with tomato, green onion, olives and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves: 8 Fat grams = 1.9 Protein = 5.2