By Katie Ciccolini | Observer Reporter
The MWCC Board of Trustees discussed the positive outcomes the summer programs had on the community during their recent meeting. During the summer of 2007, the Division of Access and Transition, in collaboration with community agencies, provided programs and services to 724 area children, youth, and teens.
There were ten programs in all including Summer Up, Summer Up Summer School, Gateway to College, MCAS Academy, MWCC Math and Science Camp, Cyber Camp, Math and Engineering Program Design Camp, MCAS Pathways to Success, and Kid’s Summer Activity Program (KSAP).
The Summer Up Program was designed to give young people jobs over the summer and keep them out of trouble. The program employs teens as youth counselors to younger children at playgrounds and parks. They play games, sports, and do crafts. The program also provided free meals to those attending, which were mainly children from low-income homes.
The program was implemented in Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and Winchendon at various sites. Of the youth who participated in Summer Up, 54 percent thought they contributed to their community because of the program. Also, 71 percent reported a reduction in risky behaviors over the summer. There were 150 youth counselors employed and total attendance at these sites averaged 371 elementary students daily.
In addition to Summer Up, the Summer Up: Summer School Program supported local families and public schools by contributing a total of $16,000 towards the cost of summer school classes. This summer, 110 low-income students received financial assistance towards the classes they needed to advance to the next grade.
The Gateway to College program is a high-school dropout recovery program. It is for young people ages 16 to 20. The program’s inaugural semester began in the fall of 2006 but over the summer, 29 new students joined.
MCAS Academy Program helps those entering the 9th grade with the English and math skills in order to pass the MCAS. This summer, 47 students participated.
The rest of the programs, which focus on math, science, and computer skills, had equal amounts of success, with 18 students in the Math and Science Camp, 46 in the Cyber Camp, 18 in Math and Engineering Program Design Camp, and 25 in MCAS Pathways to Success.
The Kid’s Summer Activity Program, a program for the children of MWCC staff and faculty had 20 participants in its first year. The 7-week long program included sports, crafts, nature-based activities, and academics.
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