A Successful Mid-Summer Fun Fest: Basketball, BBQ & Beams of Tie-Dye

By FSM Communications

InPathways Flash Forward participants enjoy some shade at Mid-Summer Fun Fest

On a sunny Thursday afternoon, HoopsHIGH, FSM News, Industry Pathways, The Real Chi, as well as staff and friends, gathered to celebrate FSM summer at NLCP/Collins Campus.

Reporting live from the All-Star Game

Old Heads vs. New Skool display sportsmanship at the end of the All-Star Game

Behind the scenes with HoopsHIGH

The day began with HoopsHIGH’s inaugural Dunk Contest. HoopsHIGH is Free Spirit Media’s sports broadcasting program, providing high school aged participants with hands-on experience in the art of capturing basketball games. The dunk contest was judged by FSM’s Executive Director Jeff McCarter, NLCP’s athletic director, Marie Miles, and Reporter Pat Tomasulo. Tomasulo came all the way from WGN Morning News for this momentous occasion. The judges declared NLCP student, Larry Johnson, the winner! Next, the All-Star Game matched Old Heads with New Skool players. In the end, the New Skool team carried the game with a score of 65 to 49.

Briana Shields, Communications Coordinator, showing off her double dutch skills

Tracee Stanford, Civic Media Manager, tie-dyes with her daughter

Attendees play a game of baseball as the day ends

By 3pm, the BBQ was on! There was something for everyone to do; attendees enjoyed Sno-cones, water blasters, hot dogs, burgers, double dutch, henna tattoos and badminton. Tie-Dye and Henna was a big hit. Thank you to everyone who could make it out to celebrate the warm weather and good vibes. Check out more photos below of this fantastic day. See you next year!

Photography by Briana Shields and Imani Thornton.