Summer Programming: What Do Children Say?

Authors

  • Nila Cobb WVU Cabell County Extenstion
  • Stacy Harper WVUES Energy Express
  • Kerri McCormick WVU Nicholas County Extention
  • Kimary McNeil WVU Nicholas County Extention
  • Margaret Miltenberger WVU Mineral County Extension
  • Ruthellen Phillips WVUES Energy Express
  • Ruth Schneider Indiana University
  • Gina Taylor West Virginia State Extension
  • Shirley Wilkins WVU Pocahontas County Extension

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2006.395

Keywords:

out-of-school time, extraxurricular activities, youth development

Abstract

Studies document that low-income children lose academic skills over the summer. Six years of reading achievement data collected by Energy Express, a nationally recognized summer reading and nutrition program in West Virginia, has established the efficacy of the intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics of a voluntary summer program that foster participation. Interview data indicates that children attend because they perceive the program as fun; large creative art (for example, full-body portraits, appliance box castles, wall murals) seems particularly important. Energy Express gives children both the fun they want and the enrichment they need in the summer.

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Published

2006-06-01

Issue

Section

Feature Articles