Camp Keeps kids mentally active
morrisville schools
The borough is receiving nearly $1 million from U.S. taxpayers this year to conduct a free summer camp for borough kids, among other programs.
Basketballs bounced across the gym floor as a group of children practiced dribbling.
Tearing herself away from her favorite camp activity, Krista Mullaney, 12, said she loves learning the technique to play well.
"We do lots of fun games. They drill us, but not too hard," she said Thursday.
Whether handling a ball, writing stories or doing math puzzles, children at Morrisville High School and the United Methodist Church nearby are honing their skills this summer.
Kids are more relaxed at summer camp than they are at school - and that's kind of the point, said Kasheef Thomas, an assistant coach who's returned to the camp year after year.
"You get to see another side of the kids here. It's great to draw them out and see them get involved and interested in doing different activities," said Thomas.
The month-long Academic Sports Achievement Program is free and available to 100 Morrisville kids on a first-come, first-served basis.
"It's a blessing for the borough as a whole to have free camp with both sports and academics for a month, for kids in elementary, middle and high school," said Norma Wingate, dean of student services and camp director at the high school.
It's funded through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal grant, which pays not only for summer camp but for yearlong enrichment activities. The Pennsylvania Department of Education administers the grant to districts in economically challenged areas that qualify for financial aid. Schools use the funds to provide activities designed to help students meet state and local standards in core content areas, such as reading, math and science, as well as career, cultural and social education.
Applicant school districts must be eligible for school wide programs under Title I, which seeks to close the achievement gap. Or they must serve a student body where 40 percent of students are from low income families.
The district's 2010-11 funding is $935,000, which pays for staffing and resources for summer, weekend and after-school programs, said program director Darletta Berry-Johnson. Among them are SAT classes, study sessions for athletes, service learning clubs, an athletic partnerships with the YMCA, and an after-school homework program for students who want extra teacher or paraprofessional help, said Berry-Johnson. There's also a partnership with the Philadelphia Archdiocese for free breakfast, lunch and snacks at district schools during parts of the year, she said.
The grant is also funding a theater camp in partnership with the Actors' NET of Bucks County and a science and arts camp at Snipes Farm in Falls in August for children in grades one through four.
The academic and sports camp started more than five years ago. Coaches and certified teachers keep coming back every summer, said Berry-Johnson.
As the older children played volleyball, basketball, soccer and flag football at the high school, kids going into grades one through five worked on reading, writing and math at the United Methodist Church behind the high school. Both groups spend about two hours each on academics and sports.
In one of several church classrooms, iridescent-flecked snowflakes hung from the ceiling. A whimsical animal with a rabbit head, camel body and duck feet smiled from the whiteboard.
Sitting at a table with other children, Maggie Phillips, 6, pointed to the story she was writing and illustrating with a magenta sun and multicolored flowers.
"That's me, in a girl's hat. I'm walking and I didn't see the flower there," she said.
Jaheim Faichney, 6, was also writing and drawing pictures.
"You're awesome, Jaheim," said teacher Alli Bizon, fastening a colorful sticker to his work.
"We're reviewing skills learned in reading classes. We're trying to make it fun and lively as possible," said Bizon, a Morrisville High School graduate. She said she decided to use her summers away from teaching preschool in a Philadelphia charter school to return to her hometown.
"It's such a small community. It's a great community to give back to. I like to come back and see what the future holds for Morrisville. I like to be a part of it."
July 16, 2010 02:10 AM
