Boys and Girls club works with Poplar Bluff schools for summer programs

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.--The Boys and Girls Club of Poplar Bluff has partnered with the Poplar Bluff School District to help students retain information in light of the school district's reduced summer school program that resulted from budget cuts.

There were more AmeriCorps workers than ever before at the club on Tuesday as about 150 young people were pre-tested so their progress can be measured upon completion of the trial run of the summer learning program.

The boys and girls had mixed reactions when some of them realized for the first time they would be broken up by grade and taught communication arts and math from 9 -- 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, until Aug. 13.

Rhylin Spence, 12, said he prefers taking field trips over doing schoolwork. "Bluff Falls is my favorite," he said.

Maddy Winters said she did not mind so much. "I enjoy school," the 11-year-old said.

Maddy's mother, Becky Winters, said on top of the social interaction, physical exercise and the new educational component, the club saves her money as it eliminates the need to pay a baby-sitter and provide the meals that are served there throughout the day.

The cost to attend summer camp is $55 per week, up from $10 per weekday in 2009, due to the extra staffing, which includes more than 20 employees, according to officials. When school is back in session, participation in the three-hour after school program will go back down to $20 for the entire nine months.

"This is the greatest community resource we have, as far as kids are concerned," said Winters, also the AmeriCorps director of Poplar Bluff's Promise Volunteer Center. "I think the 12-week summer learning program is terrific because statistically speaking, a high percentage of children fall a grade level behind in reading capacity over the summer because they don't pick up a book."

Out of the 22 AmeriCorps workers scheduled to serve at the club this summer, six were shifted from the district as a way to complete their volunteer hours.

"With summer school so limited in the school district, we're happy [the club is] emphasizing academics so children come out better prepared to go into the next school year," said Sarah Long, district assistant superintendent and club board member.

Officials have been working on developing the summer learning program curriculum since February to assure that students, age 5-16, meet grade level expectations, Long said. Third graders, for example, will focus on their multiplication tables during the arithmetic portion.

"It won't just be kids in desks putting their pencil to paper, there will be some experiments," explained Abbey Heuiser, club outreach coordinator.

From noon until 6 p.m., club unit director Leroy Nicholson explained, it will be back to "fun and games," as the boys and girls are rewarded with daily field trips. On Fridays, they will go fishing.

The goal of summer camp is to have an average daily attendance of about 200 participants, Nicholson said.

Since Chris Rushin took his post as club executive director one year ago, he has put an emphasis on tutoring. The program that began yesterday is an extension of homework 'power hour' and just another opportunity for the youth to learn to become productive citizens, explained Phil Murray, a summer learning program teacher.

"We're just bridging the gap here," Rushin said. "The kids are going to come out the winners."