File
Educational activities help children narrow the achievement gap, a study shows.
By Rebecca Flores
Children can learn in many ways, and summer camps offer opportunities to make learning fun.
The office of outreach and recruitment is hosting a seven-week summer music camp by “Don’t Forget the Music,” a local company that offers music lessons and provides musicians for corporate events and weddings.
Although this camp’s main focus will be on vocal performance and guitar skills, it also incorporates other educational aspects.
The week-long camp is for beginners, and children are welcome to bring their own guitars, said Chaye Peña, senior coordinator for outreach and recruitment.
Peña is working with Alamo Music to provide guitars at low rental rates if children do not have their own.
“This camp will put a fun twist on building literacy, leadership and creativity,” Peña said.
A Johns Hopkins University study found that “summer learning loss during elementary school accounted for two-thirds of the achievement gap in reading between low-income children and their middle-income peers by ninth grade.”
“It is important that we have opportunities where students can continue learning and developing during the summer months. Our hope is that this will help prevent ‘summer slide’ for our youth,” Peña said.
Don’t Forget the Music Summer Camps will take place June 6-July 29 on this campus and will be available for children ages 5-12.
There are 40 slots each week. The first week has nine spaces left, Peña said.
“We’re asking families to register their students by at least the Thursday before the week of camp so we can prepare,” Peña said.
Currently, 125 students are registered for the entire summer, she said.
The $75 fee per week cost for this summer camp includes a lunch, and before- and after-care is available for an additional $25 per week and per child. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with the before and after care 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Parents can register their children for the camp online at http://alamo.edu/sac/musiccamp/ and sign up for the week they’re interested in.
For more information, call 210-486-1209.
