The programs are part of the university’s Signature Partnership Initiative and designed to give students in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods an academic boost. The camps are:
- Summer Boost – June 16-27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., J. B. Atkinson Academy for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, 2811 Duncan St. Now in its fifth year, Summer Boost helps at-risk students at Atkinson and emphasizes reading and writing. About 100 Atkinson youngsters in grades K-5 participate in the camp and are aided by five teachers from the west Louisville school, plus 10 UofL college students and faculty.
- Summer Flight – June 23-27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Westport Middle School, 8100 Westport Road, is for students entering grades 6, 7 and 8. This is the first year for Summer Flight and about 75 youngsters are expected to participate. The camp at Westport Middle is funded by a grant from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. Nine teachers from Westport Middle and three UofL college students and faculty will run the camp.
Summer Flight will focus on visual literacy said UofL education professor Caroline Sheffield.
“Students need to understand the power of visuals,” Sheffield said. “The ability to interpret and use visuals is an integral part of literacy.”
Sheffield said students will have hands-on learning experiences that will include a June 25 visit by the Kentucky Historical Society’s HistoryMobile with its exhibit, “Torn Within and Threatened Without: Kentuckians in the Civil War Era.”
For information about Summer Flight, contact Sheffield at 502-852-0575. For more about Summer Boost, contact Tammi Davis at 502-852-1976.