PORT ANGELES — Summer is barely under way, and many adolescent boys and girls not old enough to get a job but too old for summer day care are complaining of boredom.
Thirty-six 12- and 13-year-olds escaped the summertime blues by attending a summer school program at Roosevelt Elementary School called FUNdamentals.
“If I weren’t here, I’d be sleeping, reading, watching television,” said Makala Curry, 12.
All of those activities are symptoms of utter boredom, Curry said.
“I’d be sitting around playing video games until my mom yells at me to go outside with my little sister,” said Allyson Fairchild, 12.
Rockets, rugby
Instead, they’re building rockets, creating plays, playing rugby and advancing their math, reading, writing and science skills.
FUNdamentals Summer School is a free pilot program sponsored by the Clallam County Family YMCA, Port Angeles Education Foundation, Port Angeles School District, Olympic Peninsula AmeriCorps, Clallam Literacy Council and First Step Family Support Center’s free lunch program.
The morning session, which offers math, science, reading and study skills, is designed to help struggling students continue developing hard-earned skills over the summer.
There is a wide variety of reasons for students to be there, FUNdamentals Director Michell Gentry said.
“Some of them have been told they won’t advance to the next grade if they don’t attend summer school,” Gentry said.
Something to do
Others are there to be with friends or just to have something to do for the summer, she said.
All of them were showing symptoms of having fun during a recent Thursday afternoon electives session, playing games, many of which are cleverly disguised math or science lessons.
Old desks and a teacher lecturing at the front of the room were a part of 13-year-old Tia Apple’s image of summer school.
“I didn’t think we were going to have any fun,” Apple said.
Instead of stern-faced teachers, friendly AmeriCorps volunteers led the students in small groups, visibly having as much fun as the students they tutor.
“They’re just really big kids,” Curry said.
Even during the academic portion of the day, the self-paced, individualized lessons are more to Apple’s liking than traditional lecture-and-homework classes during the school year.
“We’re using different learning styles, which is nice,” she said.
With only a week remaining before summer school ends July 22, students aren’t quite ready to go back to video games and television.
“I’m kind of disappointed,” Fairchild said.
The program was supposed to last five weeks, but days were added to the regular school year to replace those lost to snow closures, cutting the summer school schedule to four weeks, Gentry said.
Next year, the plan is to extend the program to six weeks, with more openings for students, she said.
For more information on FUNdamentals Summer School, phone Gentry at 360-452-9244 or email gentry@olympicpeninsulaymca.org.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
