Students from 18 Douglas County schools are clustered with neighboring schools for an exciting opportunity for summer enrichment that includes field trips to such venues the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville to Wild Animal Safari and the Roosevelt’s Little White House in Warm Springs.

These students are receiving the summer enrichment opportunities from the highly

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competitive 21st Century Community Learning Center federal grant funds.

According to Mitzi Teal, director of Communities in Schools, the summer camp is an extension of the school system’s after school program which is mandated for students who participate in the after school program during the school year from September through May.

The school system’s after school program is not a “drop-in program,” said Teal. The high school program requires Monday through Thursday participation for 12 hours each week.”

Teal describes the summer camp as “an academic enrichment program.”

“We are evaluated on the number of kids coming every day and the progress on how children are doing academically,” she said.

Summer camp activities are more focused on enrichment and the field trip piece of the grant content requirements.

“It is project-based learning that ties in all content areas through the enrichment piece,” Teal said. Students have also visited Sweetwater Creek State Park, the Delta Flight Museum, Wild Animal Safari and the Little White House, said Teal.

“This was all because the funding called for extended time for enrichment,” she said.

The summer camp program is designed to provide opportunities based on certain qualifications for students who need additional benefits for academic support, according to Teal.

The 21st Century Community Learning Center program (CCLC)was designed to provide federal funds to local schools and organizations to operate after school programs to provide opportunities for academic enrichment and tutorial services for students; to offer students a broad array of additional services, program and activities to reinforce and complement the regular academic program and offer families of 21st CCLC students opportunities for literacy and related educational development.

“All seven programs target students who are in need of additional academic assistance, said Teal.

“Criteria for students to qualify for available slots includes: academic performance below grade level; not meeting state standards on tests; and/or failing grades in one or more subjects/classes.”

She said, “We have a newly awarded grant in July of 2015 called Lithia Cohort at Annette Winn, Beulah, and Lithia Springs elementary schools. The SUCCESS grant serves students in grades third to fifth at Bright Star and North Douglas elementary schools. These grants were awarded in July of 2014 and are funded for five years.”

IMPACT Champ was awarded in July of 2014 and serves students at Chestnut Log and Mason Creek middle schools. These schools include a sixth grade transition component for students during the school year and summer. High Achiever CHAMPS serves students at Douglas County, Lithia Springs and New Manchester High Schools.

“The focus of this program is to help offset the academic struggle that occurs in the transition from middle school to high school by targeting at-risk students in grades ninth through 12th.