School is out, and we are preparing for a fun-filled summer at Aspire House! After wrapping up our Nutrition Program at Liberty Grove Schools and our Varsity Posse cohort, it's time to look ahead to Sunday Suppers, free youth sports clinics, and new art projects decorating our alleyways.
Free Upcoming Events:
- Skateboarding Clinics: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 AM - 10:50 AM at Major Taylor Velodrome with Coach Aaron. Ages 9 and up. Sign up here.
- Junior Pastry Chef Program at Aspire House RyZe Kitchen on Wednesdays throughout the summer with Chef Alicia from 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM. Sign up here.
- Sunday Supper at Aspire House on July 14. RSVP here.
- Sassy Senior Sizzle class at Aspire House RyZe Kitchen on July 17, August 21, and September 18. RSVP here.
- Dance Program: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. View program dates and locations here. Register here.
- Summer Lacrosse Clinics: Details coming soon.
Earth Day Volunteer Event 2024
On April 22, we cleaned up the Aspire House gardens and beautified the alleyways in the Northwest Landing Neighborhood, alongside our neighbors and partners at IU Health, Liberty Grove Schools, Herron-Riverside High School, Butler University, and Nine13 Sports. Special thanks to Bonnie Plants for donating herbs for our gardens, Cleo's Bodega for lunch, and Tea's Me for some delicious tea samples.
For more information about our Earth Day clean-up, check out the news coverage below.
Topiary Therapy with Mike Gibson
In early May, we had the privilege of partnering with world-renowned topiary artist, Mike Gibson, and Indy Parks to host two topiary therapy sessions at Riverside and Washington Parks. Our friends created their own topiary art to take home!
A Beautiful, New Courtyard
On May 3, a group of volunteers from Pepper Construction donated their time and resources to build a courtyard for Aspire House. This vibrant space doubles as a garden and community gem. Thank you Pepper Construction for organizing this project and giving back to our neighborhood! Special shoutout to John from the Pepper Construction team for helping us, especially securing the concrete.
BlaTinas Travel to San Francisco
We wrapped our BlaTina Varsity Posse cohort in May with a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. The girls spent seven days visiting universities and tech companies. Some of the trip highlights included touring Santa Clara University's Engineering Department, UC Berkeley, and Stanford University. We also visited Bloomberg, Gusto, and Gap Inc.
"Being able to see how technology impacts all different types of businesses changed my perspective on technology and how we use it," said Javenai Shanks, Herron-Riverside High School and Varsity Posse Cohort aluma.
Nutrition Program at Liberty Grove
This school year, Aspire House worked alongside four Marian University doctorate students to teach a healthy eating and nutrition program to 5th and 6th graders at Liberty Grove Schools. The students visited the RyZe Kitchen for a fun, end-of-year field trip and enjoyed making smoothie bowls.
Special thank you to Bill Spaniol, Adam Moorman, Tri Truong, and Anastasios Karoussos for leading the class.
Girls Sports Field Day
On May 17, we held our second annual Girls Sports Field Day in Frederick Douglass Park. Alongside volunteers, coaches, and Indy Parks staff, we welcomed several schools to try sports including golf, rugby, tennis, cycling, jump roping, hip-hop aerobics, and jazz dance.
Indy Flow Fest
A first-of-its-kind event, held on Saturday, May 18, encouraged communities of color to delve into wellness. Alongside our vendors, we offered many rejuvenating activities including sound bowl therapy, a drum circle, and yoga. Our guests took home self-care kits, mint plants, and a refreshed spirit.
June Sunday Supper
On June 9, we held our first Sunday Supper of the year. Nearly 100 people joined us as we kicked off our summer activities at Aspire House. Read Chef Tasha's article below!
