MCCSC to expand Adventure Camp: $451,000 grant to fund new academic component [Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind.]

Feb. 15--Amid pending and potentially dire budget decisions for the MCCSC, a little good news has surfaced regarding the district's summer programming.

The Monroe County Community School Corp. School Age Care's Adventure Camp program has secured a $451,000 grant to provide expanded services, including academic components, this summer.

The federal 21st Century Community Center Learning Program funds involved are specifically designated for "outside of school time" programs, with the Indiana Department of Education dispersing the money on a competitive grant basis. The grant money is not available for MCCSC to use for its regular academic budget purposes.

The grant seems especially welcome, given that budgetary constraints had already compelled the MCCSC to conclude that it couldn't offer traditional summer school classes. Adventure Camp serves children from grades K-8.

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"I would stop short of calling it 'summer school,' as we very much will maintain all the traditional Adventure Camp elements and atmosphere," Laura Webster, School Age Care's 21st Century program coordinator, said Thursday. "But we are incorporating academic components that we are excited to add.

"Mornings will be academic in nature, from 9 till 11:30 a.m., but the students won't be sitting at desks looking at books. It will be very hands-on and interactive, and the students will be divided by age-group and the grade level they'll be entering this fall.

Each week will have a different theme, broad enough to incorporate literacy, math and science on a daily basis."

Webster cited one theme, "Oh, my stars!," which would investigate topics such as the solar system, the law of gravity, the careers of astronauts and other elements -- including age-appropriate, hands-on activities, such as older children building rockets. She said it was also the program's goal to fill staff positions with "people who have prior teaching experience."

But traditional Adventure Camp activities will remain, too. Campers will still go swimming twice a week, still take off-site field trips once a week and engage in the expected games and crafts.

The grant money will also make the 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. weekday camp free of charge to students who qualify for free or reduced-price federal lunches, and more affordable for everybody else. Bus transportation, breakfasts and lunches will be available to all campers at no charge.

If enrollment projections of 400 to 450 students are met and if the programming proves effective regarding academic retention and growth, the grant has the potential to be available for additional summers.

"I see this (grant) award as a bright spot in a dark budgetary time for education," Webster said. "We're excited to be able to extend this opportunity for quality summer programming to help our young people in terms of academic enhancement and retention, while they're having fun."

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