KINGSTON — In the wake of tragedy, positivity shall rise.

Today, on the final day of the 2005-2006 school year at Kingston Junior High, both the school and Kingston communities are still reeling and recovering from the shock of two student deaths and ensuing problems at the KJH.

As the dust of confusion and sadness settles, the clarity of Cavalier community action has been manifesting.

“It takes time to grieve and this whole community is grieving the loss of people way too young to die,” said parent and volunteer Ginny Bell, who is spearheading efforts to emphasize and coordinate summer youth programs in North Kitsap. “We are there for our kids, but sometimes that isn’t always enough. The world is a big place and sometimes kind of scary.”

Organizations such as Poulsbo Parks and Recreation, the North Kitsap Boys & Girls Club and the Kitsap Regional Library are each offering summertime programs for kids of all ages. But Bell feels not enough North Enders are taking advantage of those opportunities once school is out.

“The transportation piece is huge up here,” she said, highlighting one of the tallest hurdles that junior high school students have to clear. “If their parents can’t drive them somewhere or if they can’t ride their bike, they are stuck.”

Kitsap Transit buses can serve as a lifeline for kids to summer programs, but it isn’t always as easy as just hopping on a bus, Bell said. For 13- and 14-year-old kids, she feels the bus system may be “intimidating.”

Therefore, Bell facilitated a time for Kitsap Transit’s Deb Russell to set up a booth at the KJH commons to inform students about schedules, fairs and routes during the last week of school.

Buses No. 92 and No. 62 are the regularly scheduled routes that roll through Kingston daily, however, kids from further out in Hansville can use the dial-a-ride system in which riders call the bus one to seven days in advance to schedule to be picked up and taken to a regular route stop.

For more information on routes, stops or dial-a-ride, visit www.kitsaptransit.org.

“I think it helps to do stuff over the summer so that you’re not so bored and so the anticipation of school coming back is not like following you,” KJH eighth-grader Danica Wilson said.

Poulsbo Parks and Recreation is once again offering the gamut of “stuff” to do this summer, including a scale of interests from drama to basketball. During the week of June 26, the PPR programs kick off with youth soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics, volleyball and tennis camps.

The entire PPR calendar month of July is also laden with opportunities, including its newest offering, a sailing camp.

For more information on times and prices or a summer brochure, call PPR at (360) 779-9898.

The North Kitsap Boys & Girls Club — based out of the Old School House in Kingston — will also be offering summer fun opportunities. Over the course of seven weeks, the club will go on excursions including Native American horsemanship lessons, free swims and hikes.

“We want to get (kids) to do this stuff that they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to do, because it lets them know that we value them,” said NKB&GC advisor Fabienne Jorgenson-Finch.

For more information or to sign-up for the NK Boys & Girls Club, call Jorgenson-Finch at (360) 394-4961 or Dan Price at (360) 297-8384. Membership is $20 per year.

On the education front this summer, the Kitsap Regional Library has more than 50 events planned on Tuesdays throughout July and August while Olympic College will be hosting one- and two-week summer enrichment camps. For an OC brochure call (360) 394-2702 or e-mail continuingEd@olympic.edu and for more reader information, visit www.krl.org.

Other grassroots programs are forming in the Kingston area, for up to date information, call Bell at (360) 638-1263 or e-mail ginnybell@hotmail.com.