Learning opportunities won't stall this summer for a group of 100 Rogers Elementary School students thanks to a grant secured by Mid-Iowa Community Action.
A five-year $425,000 grant will go to a new initiative which will provide learning and enrichment opportunities for selected Rogers students in a six-week program at the school which will be known as Rogers University.
The grant was through the Iowa Department of Education and this one was one of six selected out of 37 applicants in the state.
"We are very excited about the impact this will have particularly for at-risk children to prevent that learning gap over the summer," said Clarissa Thompson, community liaison at MICA.
The program will run much like a school day with math and reading time but will have more enrichment opportunities that will include swimming, life skills and technology work.
"It's going to be a very different atmosphere than regular school," Thompson said.
Thompson said the learning time will be more intensive as they will have one teacher for every five students. Rogers Principal Mick Jurgensen said he is excited to have students continue to learn over the summer.
"We are tying for kids to experience growth, especially in reading and math over the summer," Jurgensen said. "It will support their academic achievement."
Rogers was chosen for the program based on its size and the need of the students at the school and because of its involvement in the MICA program "Start Sooner, Stay Longer, Keep Learning" project.
The program, which runs June 20 through July 29, is for first through fourth grade students and they will be selected based on their level of need.
