Pandemic Community Engagement

This chapter details how the authors transitioned their community engagement youth summer programs, Swim to the Top (STTT) and the STEM Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA). It reviews the swimming program for youth aged four to fourteen that required immense creativity and a shift in curriculum goals since swimming pools were closed over the summer of 2020. Despite the challenges, the authors outline the relevance of virtual programs and the meaningful experiences of these programs for both the youth participants and the university students who served as staff. The chapter explores how the COVID-19 crisis impacted the implementation of community-based programs and provided the opportunity to deliver programs virtually. It provides suggestions for future virtual community engagement practices.