Fresh from a discussion of how tornadoes, wind and tsunamis affect water, 21 middle-schoolers in a Denver-Camp science class at Morey Middle School were ready to experiment with plastic liter bottles filled with blue liquid.
Chino White, 14, turned his bottle upside down, twirled it wildly, then steadied it as a mini tornado whirled inside.
“Ooh. Ooh. That’s tight!” shouted Chino’s 11-year-old classmate Elijah Hughes, his eyes fixed on the turbulence.
“We dissected a squid the other day,” Elijah boasted, before trying to create two tornadoes in his own bottle.
At Denver-Camp, more than 100 students will spend the next six weeks engaged in academically enriching activities, from doing animation to learning about science.
It is one of dozens of summer programs that districts, churches, private businesses and community groups are offering to keep kids tuned in to learning during the months off.
Schools in the Jefferson County School District, for example, offer everything from art camps for boys to classes that help students transition into high school.
Experts say such programs are crucial in preventing brains from draining.
“If kids aren’t engaged in learning activities, they lose ground academically,” said Ron Fairchild, executive director of the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Low-income students, in particular, experience huge setbacks in reading, he said.
“In the current context of education reform, we can’t afford to have the hard-fought gains teachers make over the school year erased over the summer.”
Summer Scholars, a program for struggling readers in Denver Public Schools, has proved to raise performance, said Anne Byrne, executive director.
“About 85 percent of the kids make gains,” said Byrne. “About 20 percent are able to get up to grade level at the end of the program.”
The program serves 1,000 students for six weeks.
The costs of such programs range from free to hefty.
At the low end, students pay $10 a week to participate in Denver-Camp.
At Sylvan Learning Center, students can participate in week-long boot camps that focus on a particular skill, such as grammar or math, said Marilyn Holm, executive director of five centers in the metro Denver area. The camps cost $195 per week, said Holm.
At YouthBiz, a 15-year-old program designed to teach kids about business, it’s the students who get paid for completing the summer courses, said Sonya Ulibarri, director of development at the nonprofit.
The program serves middle school and high school students from around the metro area. They learn about computer hardware and software, public speaking and leadership skills. They must also perform community-service projects, Ulibarri said.
“It completely keeps them engaged,” she said. And they can earn $500 to $600 while learning about the world of business and strengthening academic performance.
At Denver-Camp this week, Khundy Son, of the nonprofit Arts Street organization, gave 11-year-old Nicholas Rinebold lessons in stop-motion animation, a form of filmmaking in which crews tediously photograph clay figures in hundreds of poses.
“It’s really fun,” said Nicholas. “You get to experiment. … I wish it was a part of school.”
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-954-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SUMMER
Ron Fairchild, executive director of the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, offers these suggestions for making sure learning does not take a break for the summer:
Visit the local public library. Participate in free library summer programs and make time to read every day.
Find out what your child will be learning during the next school year. Preview concepts and materials over the summer.
Take educational trips, which can be low-cost visits to parks, museums, zoos and nature centers. Consider vacations with educational themes.
Practice math every day. A trip to the grocery store is an opportunity to review math skills. Cooking is a chance to learn fractions. Measure items around the house or yard; track daily temperatures.
Get outside and play. Intense physical activity programs have positive effects on academic achievement, including increased concentration; improved mathematics, reading and writing test scores; and reduced disruptive behavior.
Do good deeds. Students learn better and “act out” less when they engage in activities that aid in their social-emotional development, such as community service.
Limit time with TV and video games, just as you do during the school year. The key is providing a balance.
