School’s Out, Now What? - jhitchens
June 18, 2026
Good morning neighbors,
Every school district in District 6 has wrapped up the school year. Summer is always hectic, as families adjust to new schedules and the increased stress of managing young people at home all day ramps up. It is also a time for a lot of events and activities.
Summertime also comes with uncertainty for many families.
This can be a time of increased pressure on household budgets, as families navigate feeding children three meals a day, when before it was often only one. It can increase costs in childcare or result in a reduction in available working hours because someone must care for the children.
With all of that in mind, I am going to focus on things to do, resources available, and ways to keep young people healthy, safe, and busy over the next couple of months. It goes by fast!
Keeping Kids Healthy
Once school is out, young people sometimes struggle to find enough to eat, especially as their activity levels increase. If your family needs help, we are providing some resources by school district with places to access meals during the summer months.
If your family is eligible for TANF or SNAP and receives reduced or no-cost meals at your school, you might be eligible for SUN Bucks. The state is responsible for this program, and it provides additional support because students are home for meals. You can learn more about the SUN Bucks Washington program here: Washington SUN Bucks Summer EBT Program | DSHS
Summer is a great time to get your children vaccinated before school starts. If you need information on what vaccines are recommended, or are looking for vaccine events, please refer to the Immunizations - Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Without daily access to friends, many youth isolate during the summer months. This can lead to decreased physical activity and even depression and anxiety. If you are seeing signs of depression or a crisis, please contact 9-8-8 so they can help you determine potential steps. Youth Behavioral Health - Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is a great resource.
Keeping Kids Safe
How do we keep young people safe during the summer months? Here are some suggestions from many of our partners.
SWIMMING: When the temperature goes up, families sometimes look for places to cool kids down, which can include our many lakes, streams, and the Puget Sound. Please remember that our water feels cool at first but can be quite cold for small bodies, and that they should not swim unattended anywhere. We have some helpful hints about
WALKING/BIKING/ROLLING: When the weather gets warmer, and young people are trying to find things to do, they are often moving about our communities under their own power. That can look like a scooter, skateboard, walking, or some kind of bike. If they are on an E-Bike, there are regulations for those because they can go so fast. Please make sure you are aware. If you are driving, do your part and share the road. Be especially vigilant in areas around parks and sports fields, as well as in your neighborhood. In addition, here is a great county resource that includes our Bike Map, so you can find paved trails and routes for riders of all ages.
FIREWORKS: The Pierce County burn-ban began on June 1st, but with July 4th just around the corner, fireworks are out and about. Please be mindful of young people who get curious and sometimes want to “play” with fireworks. Even a sparkler can cause a fire or significant burns. There is a great resource on this on our Fireworks page, just scroll to the bottom.
FIREARMS: Young people often hang out at friends’ houses or gather in groups. This can be a time when tragedy or really bad decisions can occur. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has worked hard to help young people think about Choose Peace. Please have a conversation with your child about this; it can save a life.
Approximately 1 in 4 children in Pierce County face food insecurity, with over 50,000 youth relying on free or reduced-price school meals during the academic year.
Keeping Kids Busy
“I’m bored,” is a line that I have heard from young people during the summer. For the adults in the room who were probably working or managing the care for the rest of the family, this can be particularly grating. However, here are a couple of things to think about that are close to or in District 6 and are low- or no-cost, designed for young people.
Kids Ride Free:Take an adventure on Pierce Transit. Spend the day exploring the community on a bus, light rail, and even our ferry. Adults will have to pay a fare, but everyone under 18 will ride free. On the website, you can get help learning the system, planning a route, and it is a great way to explore the community.
Summer Teen Late-Night Activities:School districts are working to find ways to keep young people busy and out of trouble. This was done in partnership with the school districts, county and many partners. Please check what your district is doing.
Bethel School Districtruns from July 1 to August 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. No program July 3 & 4.
Clover Park School District runs every Friday at the Lakewood YMCA.
Franklin Pierce School Districtruns Monday-Thursday at Keithly Middle School from 5 to 10 p.m.
Pierce County Library System:Provides spaces, activities, camps, and events for people of all ages. The link provided shows all the programs currently scheduled in District 6 for young people. Events get added all the time, but they have programs for babies to teens and everything in between.
Parks in District 6 have a lot going on. Depending on the day of the week and what you are looking for, there are plenty of things to do throughout the district.
Pierce County Parks has a lot going on, and for those who need to cool down, Sprinker has opened its Spray Park (the biggest one in the Pierce County Park system).
DuPont Parks has a variety of open spaces and activities available for the whole family. Reminder that Wear Blue: Run to Remember meets almost every Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Powderworks Park to continue to train for their runs.
Lakewood Parks,in partnership with the city, is hosting street fairs, farmer’s markets, concerts, and Lakewood Summerfest once again. Check out their page to learn about all the activities. They also have a great list of programs that are happening in or around the community here: Youth Programs in Lakewood - City of Lakewood
Steilacoom Parks has the community garden and a variety of activities at the community center.
Anderson Island Parkshas a unique opportunity for residents and visitors. Please remember to check the website, but the swimming hole is currently closed.
With so many places to visit and activities to participate in, my hope is that you find a few new adventures that spark some interest and help young people thrive this summer.
Community Connections
Tacoma Juneteenth Celebration: Friday, June 19th, from 12 to 6 p.m. at the LeMay Car Museum at 2702 E D. Street in Tacoma. This is the largest Juneteenth celebration in Washington!
Rummage and Bake Sale: Friday, June 19th, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, June 20th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stop by the Historic Parkland School at 214 121st St. S in Parkland. Support this school and do a little thrifting.
4th Annual Juneteenth Commemoration: Saturday, June 20th, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Lakewood City Hall. Join the community for singing, dancing, live music, poetry, and history.
Under the Big Top-Community Resource Fair: Saturday, June 20th, from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Tillicum-Woodbrook Community Center located at 14916 Washington Ave. SW in Lakewood. Connect with services, health and wellness resources, basic needs, legal advocacy, and other community resources all under one roof.
Checking In with the Sheriff: Saturday, June 20th, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Parkland/Spanaway Library. Join Pierce County Sheriff Swank to touch base with questions, concerns, or just to learn.
Kid Vendor Days at the DuPont Farmers Market: Thursday, June 25th, from 3 to 7 p.m. Come shop from our youngest entrepreneurs in the community. If you are interested in setting up a booth, please contact Emma Wiegand at the city.
Blue Zones Events: There are lots of free activities, volunteer, and learning opportunities happening in Parkland and Spanaway.
While it is really far out, I want to invite you to join me on a guided tour of Anderson Island. The goal is to have those who do not live on the island come and BIKE around the island. This is hosted by RIDE Together Pierce County and is taking place on Saturday, August 29th. Spots are limited, and you do need to get yourself and your bike across on the ferry. Staff will be present to guide riders. Please register if you can make it.
Have a safe and wonderful June, and my next newsletter will be all things 4th of July. We are turning 250!
Take care and stay busy, everyone.
Jani