Preschool and Elementary Programs

Contact:   Ellen Peterson       Website:  www.area-59.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/wyomakers/ (Gillette College Area 59)

What:   Our My Grown Up & Me Woodshop is an opportunity for community members to learn and share their skills with a younger generation of learners! As we become an increasingly more digital world, craft skills like woodworking are becoming lost arts.  With our project, we can help a new generation of kids learn some of these craft skills, while working hands-on with an adult mentor/partner.

Meet:  Feb. 3, Apr. 6, June 1, Oct. 5 (9:30 - 11:30 AM)  

Mar. 6, May 1, July 10, July 31, Sept. 4, Nov. 6 (5:30 - 7:30 PM)

Fees:  This series of workshops will be offered to community members for free. Registration is required. Registration for the following month's class will be opened upon completion of the current month's class.

Ages:  School-aged children (6+) and their REQUIRED adult mentor

Contact:  Quinn Goldhammer                            Email:  quinn@avacenter.org    Website:  www.avacenter.org

What:   AVA's 2024 Summer Art Camps provide local youth with a series of 2 week long art camps in which they can explore visual arts processes using a variety of materials to complete both mixed media and clay art projects.  During the 3 sessions, attendees will learn from local, qualified art instructors about various techniques as they work through projects such as glass mosaic, sand art, painting and drawing, visual art foundations, clay hand building, pinch pots, coil structures and glaze decorations.

Meet:  June 11, 2024 to August 2, 2024

Fees:  $65 for AVA Members/ $75 for non-members

Ages: 5-15 years

Please see the Campbell County Parks and Recreation website for information or contact the Recreation Center at 307-682-8527

Contact:   UW Campbell County 4-H             Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/uwcampbellcounty4H/             

What:  The Children's Festival is an annual community event for children birth through 8 years of age and their families.  The event includes activity booths showcasing fire, ambulance and law enforcement vehicles, hands-on activities, and healthy snacks.

Meet:  March 9, 2024

Ages: Birth through age 8

When:  January 18, 2025 through May 16, 2025

What:  This exhibit provides fun, imaginative, book-based, recreational play experiences for children birth to 8 years old.  Storyland transforms seven beloved books- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, Where's Spot? by Eric Hill, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, Abuela by Arthur Dorros, and Tuesday by David Wiesner into three-dimensional play and bilingual learning environments.  Click here for the brochure or here for an informational video.

Contact:  Robert Henning, Museum Director Email: rockpile@vcn.com Website: www.rockpilenuseum.com

Penny Schroder, Museum Educator

Heather Rodriguez, Museum Educator

Contact:  Paula Petry/ Rebecca Massey Email:  ppetry@ccsd.k12.wy.us/ rkuntzmassey@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  Providing recreational activities for children and families of Campbell County living with diabetes.  Informational brochure here.

Meet:  Schedule of events can be found here.

Ages:  All ages

Contact:  Troy Nellermoe Email:  tnellermoe@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  Elementary age centered science events in topics such as forensics, astronomy, science bowl, geology, environmental science, engineering, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Meet:  To be determined.  Please contact the program sponsor above   

Ages:  3rd through 6th grades

Contact:  Mandi Steele Email:  msteele@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  An opportunity for music students to expand their music experience and knowledge.

Meet:  August 30- December 3, 2023, Wednesdays 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the CCHS Choir room

Ages:  2nd through 8th grades

Contact:   Brandon Cone- President  307-680-1865 or Carrie Snyder- Treasurer 307-299-6440

Email:  gillettegirlsfastpitch@gmail.com   Website:  www.gillettebluejays.com

What:  Gillette Girls Fastpitch Association manages Gillette Blue Jays Softball Organization.  We hold tryouts each year, with practices all season and the majority of games in the spring, summer, and fall.  We also host 2 local tournaments:  Battle of the High Plains May 25-27, 2024 and Razor City Showcase June 14-16, 2024.

Meet:  Practices are held based on the weather and mostly at these locations:  The Nest (5600 Mohan Road), Energy Capital Sports Complex and Bicentennial Park.

Fees:  $300 player fee and additional fundraising activities throughout the year

Ages:  Girls ages 8-18

Contact:  Kim Neece Email:  kimberleyn@gsmw.org           Website: www.gsmw.org

What:  Girl Scouts as a way of life that brings out the best in girls, even in the most challenging times. While they're learning about STEM, the outdoors, entrepreneurship, and life skills they're also discovering ways to make their family and community stronger, kinder and better.

Meet:  Second Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Gillette Boys and Girls Club located at 410 Lakeside Dr. 

Ages:  5-18, must be eligible/ enrolled in K-12

Contact:  Riley Dilts & Emily Haefele Email:  imaginationlibraryccwy@gmail.com

What:  The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to inspiring the love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age 5.  Parents sign their child up and begin receiving one book a month in the mail.    

Ages:  Birth through 5 years

Contact:  YES House- Tatyana Walker  307-686-0669 ext. 1007 Email:  twalker@yeshouse.org

What:  Afterschool enrichment program designed to provide educational recreation activities to K-6th grade students.

Meet:  During the school year:

Lakeview, Sunflower, Conestoga, Wagonwheel and Hillcrest schools:  Monday- Friday from 3:40 to 6:30 pm.

Ages:  K through 6th grades

Contact:  Lindy Watt Email:  lwatt@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  To provide safe and supervised activities to Meadowlark students before school begins and during afterschool ELO sessions.

Meet:   School days 7:45 to 8:15 am and 3:45 to 5:00 pm during ELO sessions.  

Ages:  Meadowlark students K-6th

Contact:  Teresa Pike Email:  tpike@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  Teaching students to start, grow, maintain and harvest a garden.

Meet:  Summer meet weekly on Tuesdays.  Please contact sponsor for time.

Ages:  K-12th grades

Contact:   Alli Zumbro, President      775-560-1857                      Facebook:  Razor City BMX  

What:  Organized bicycle racing for all ages.

Meet:  BMX Race Track:  200 Pumphouse Lane, Gillette.  Monday and Thursday May through October.  Registration 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm and races follow.

Ages:  children and adults

Fees:  $80 annual USA BMX Membership, $7 race entry fee per bike

Contact:  Jamie Hendryx   307-687-9760 Email:  rideandshinetr@gmail.com

What:  Ride and Shine provides hippotherapy to clients with physical, cognitive, and sensory motor challenges.  Hippotherapy is skilled manipulation of equine movement to stimulate the cognitive, sensory and neuromotor systems to acheive functional goals.

Meet:  June through August:  Tuesdays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Meeting place:  32 Mandy Lane, Gillette

  September through May:  Tuesdays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.  Meeting place:  1632 Reata Drive, Gillette

Ages:  3 to 21 years

Fees:  $50 per session

Contact:  Bonnie Pettyjohn                                          Email:  bpettyjohn@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  An opportunity for students to experiment with a variety of art and cooking mediums while creating different projects.

Meet:  Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm, Sept. through May at SV

Ages:  5th through 12th grades

Contact:  Jami Howe    307-680-7933                                  Email: jhowe@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  Providing year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Meet:  Meeting locations vary by sport.  Please contact the sponsor for information.

Cycling and Bowling  Aug. 22, 2023- Oct. 13, 2023

Skiing and Snowboarding  January and February 2024

Basketball, Track and Swimming  February to May 2024

Ages:  8 years through 12th grade with or without disabilities

Contact:  Emily Driskill Email:  edriskill@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  Educating 4th-6th grade students on the dangers of underage drinking and tobacco use.

Meet:  Varies by school:

Rozet: TBD- meet in the big gym.  Contact Emily Driskill.

Hillcrest: 1st Thursday of each month from 3:40 to 4:30 pm in the STEM Lab.  Contact Tracy Ennis.

Lakeview: 1st Wednesday of the month afterschool in Room B122.  Contact Vanessa Bentsen.

Wagonwheel: 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month from 8:00 to 8:40 am in the Tech Lab.  Contact Julie McCann.  

Ages:  4th through 6th grades

Contact:  Molly Wass      307-696-1744                                       Email:  gillettetog@gmail.com

What:  Wrestling camp for K-12 students to increase exposure and the opportunity to participate in wrestling.

Meet:  TBD fall of 2023

Ages:  Kindergarten through 12th grades

Contact:  Kahla Stewart Email:  kstewart@ccsd.k12.wy.us

What:  Providing organized physical activity to students of Wagonwheel school to improve motor skills, teamwork, and socialization.

Meet:  Program runs January through April, Mondays and Thursdays from 3:40 to 5:15 PM in the Wagonwheel gym.

Ages:  Wagonwheel students K-6th