White Plains, NY —   The popular Mount Vernon summer youth basketball program is getting back on the court after being sidelined by COVID-19 in 2020.

On Monday night, the Board of Legislators unanimously approved an agreement between the county and the city to operate the program five days a week beginning July 12 and running through August 13.  The county will pay $22,400 to help operate the program which will operate out of the Mount Vernon High School gym, Monday-Friday from 1-5 p.m.

The program, which serves up to 90 boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 17, not only deals in basketball skills and drills, but also life skills, with new speakers joining the youngsters each week.

Leg. Tyrae Woodson-Samuels (D - Mount Vernon), said, "This has been one of the most popular and valuable summer programs for young people in the city for many years now, guided by Mount Vernon's great high school basketball coach Bob Cimmino.  This is a program that does more than just teach kids how to execute a pick and roll, it teaches leadership, teamwork, conflict resolution and cooperation.  Like so many things, it took a pause last summer because of COVID, but I'm ecstatic that my colleagues have joined me in supporting this agreement between the county and the city to get young people back into the gym this summer."

Leg. David Tubiolo (D- Mount Vernon, Yonkers), said, "I've been a proud supporter of the Mount Vernon youth summer basketball program for years. It is unfortunate the 2020 summer program was lost to COVID, but it's fantastic to know that the program will be back in action this summer, just when young people, like everyone else, need an opportunity to get out, get together, and being the process of getting back to life."