It is with considerable sadness that I announce the National Youth Sports Program will not take place at the University of Maine this summer.

NYSP, which has served children in central Maine for the past 13 years, was among the programs eliminated in recent federal budget cuts. This free day camp offered six weeks of sports instruction – with an emphasis on swimming – and educational activities to children and adolescents ages 10-16.

I would like to assure NYSP families and friends that we will work closely with the Maine congressional delegation to restore funding for fiscal year 2007.

In the meantime, I gratefully acknowledge the many individuals who’ve given so much to thisthree-time national awarding winning sports-educational program: teachers, coaches, athletic trainers, nurses, physicians, guidance counselors, attorneys, social workers, leaders of human service agencies, local business owners, and, of course,hundreds of UMaine and local high school students who served as staff.

Their selflessness and devotion to the NYSP mission has enriched the lives of thousands of area kids.

Stephen A. Butterfield, Ph. D.

Professor

University of Maine