Written by Ryan Orr
Zion Climbing Center and Impact 360, a martial arts outreach program, have collaborated for a new after-school program for kids ages 5 to 18 called SYNC (Searcy Youth Neighborhood community).
Sync is active five days a week, Monday through Fridays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The program is held Mondays and Wednesdays at the Zion center, located in the Underground coffee shop, and Tuesdays and Thursdays at Impact 360’s headquarters at the Downtown Church of Christ. Fridays are field trip days, when the group participates in outings to the park, skating or the Rialto theater for a movie.
“We want to provide a safe and nourishing environment in an after school alternative for kids of all ages,” Tate Pettyjohn, a Zion employee said. “We hope to teach disciple, team building, trust and moral values that will serve them the rest of their lives.”
The cost is $150 a month, which includes all snacks, daily activities and field trip costs for that month.
“We have already planned out certain team building exercises and games for each day in the rock climbing gym, including some days for just climbing,” Zion employee Beth Simmons said. “Our workers are very excited to build these relationships and to be mentors to the participants, but we all know how much we can learn from kids.”
