LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Although it's summer time in Arkansas, many students continue to hit the books in preparation for the upcoming school year. During the past couple of years, summer programs have been more important than ever, as kids continue to play 'catch-up' from the pandemic.
The Arkansas Department of Education has partnered with the an Arkansas state program called, "Arkansas Out of School Network."
Hope Worsham, ESSER Program Director with the Arkansas Department of Education, said that the goal of the program is not only all about catching kids back up during the summer and after school, but it's also about being able to do it in an innovative way.
"The purpose is to help kids fill the gaps, fill the holes, where they might have missed something over the past two years," said Worsham.
According to Laveta Wills-Hale, network director of the Arkansas Out of School Network, she said that thanks to funds from the federal government, the state of Arkansas has been able to fill those gaps through the 'Summer Learning Supplemental Grant.'
"It's almost a re-launch because we're coming out of the pandemic, and so as much as it is about academics, it's also about helping them to re-engage with their peers," she said.
Worsham said that as much as students fell back academically because of COVID, being able to help them out academically, is just as important as making sure that they catch back up socially.
"Giving kids that connection back that we've lost a bit through COVID, and being able to respond to some of their social emotional needs. Some things that we don't always get to do during the regular classroom," she said.
The partnership between the Arkansas Department of education and the Arkansas Out of School Network gave $1.8 million to 30 new programs to help the children.
Wills-Hale said their programs can range anywhere from literacy to STEM to social emotional learning to even health and wellness.
"The summertime is the perfect time to engage our young people through hands on active learning, so it's not like traditional summer school, but they are still learning," she said. According to Wills-Hale, we have a lot of demand for programs like those in our state of Arkansas.
She said about 65,000 kids currently participate in after-school or summer programs, and as many as 200,000 would be interested, if a program was available to them.
"We know that we have a ways to go and these funds are helping us meet that unmet demand, and ensure that our young people are learning and that they are thriving," Wills-Hale said.
The groups will soon be giving out more money for the upcoming school year, and organizations have until Friday, July 15 to apply.
You can find out more information here.