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Youth Programs

Pancake breakfast celebrates launch of summer learning program

Pancake breakfast celebrates launch of summer learning program

A breakfast of champions – pancakes and milk – kicked off the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative summer outdoor learning program at Boland Elementary School, with teachers and children in high excitement for the day to begin.

The five-week program began at both Boland and Dorman elementary schools, open to children entering grades one, two and three at the schools, but designed and implemented as part of the Talk/Read/Succeed! program, which unites the two schools with two nearby Springfield Housing Authority developments, Sullivan and Robinson Gardens Apartments. Robinson Gardens and Sullivan children have preference for enrollment in HSLI.

Parents and children enjoy a pancake breakfast at opening day of the Talk/Read/Succeed! summer learning program at Boland Elementary School.

Parents and children enjoy a pancake breakfast at opening day of the Talk/Read/Succeed! summer learning program at Boland Elementary School.

The summer learning program features many forays into the outdoors at both schools, as well as field trips to places such as Forest Park, Look Park, the Southwick Zoo, the Hitchcock Center, the Holyoke Children’s Museum and the Springfield Museums at the Quadrangle.

There are 43 enrolled in the HSLI program at Dorman, and 78 at Dorman, which is now combined with the Early Start summer learning program.

At Boland, parents and children were invited to a pancake breakfast before sessions began. Excitement was clearly in the air.

“My daughter loves this program,” said Joslyn Collazo, a Sullivan resident whose seven-year-old Jasmarie attended the summer session last year.

“She loves the field trips, she can be with her friends, and she really kept steady with her school work too,” Collazo said. “She was a little behind on her reading before, but by the end you could really see her progress. And it kept her on track for school in the fall.”

The HSLI program is in its fourth summer, and has shown with each session that children either stay on reading level, or in most cases, advance one or two levels, when they return to school in September. For children without any formal schooling, summertime usually means a slip in reading skills.

Besides that important achievement, the program is fun.

“I know it’s going to be good,” said Daisliana Ramos, who is seven and starting her second year at HSLI Boland.

Her mother, Mariann Ortiz, said she expects her two children enrolled will benefit.

“It was great last summer,” she said. “It really helped my daughter, and she loved it. It made a big difference for her in school.”

Seven-year-old Nelson Santiago started his third year in the summer program, making him somewhat of an expert in how things work.

“It’s good. We get to play and learn. Everyone likes it,” said the Sullivan resident.

Program site coordinator Nancy LeClair said HSLI works on many levels.

“It keeps them busy for the summer. It gives them something positive to do. They all love the activities and the field trips. Everything about it is so enriching,” LeClair said.

“The work is very hands-on. We go outside a lot. The children look at bugs, leaves, everything that’s out there, and they’re focusing on literacy the whole time,” she added.

T/R/S! outreach coordinator Zenaida Burgos with Sullivan Apartments resident Nelson Santiago, at opening day of summer learning at Boland Elementary School.

T/R/S! outreach coordinator Zenaida Burgos with Sullivan Apartments resident Nelson Santiago, at opening day of summer learning at Boland Elementary School.

At Dorman, children met with teachers in classrooms or on school grounds, where they began exploring habitats and talking – or in some cases singing – about the great outdoors.

Teacher Heather DesRochers started her 7- and 8-year-olds with a group rendition of ‘The Habitat Song’ by Bill Oliver, then inviting children to explore her classroom, which had stations set up with information on various living environments.

T/R/S! outreach coordinator Lynne Cimino was also on hand to help Robinson Gardens children and youth workers have a successful first day.

“It’s a busy time for children, and that’s what we like to see,” she said. “Children are engaged and learning, from day one.”

Under T/R/S!, participating families Sullivan Apartments and Robinson Gardens receive an array of services and assistance, with the primary goal of boosting literacy so that children are on level by the end of grade three.

3558 days ago / Youth Programs
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