Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Thursday, July 15, 2010

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During the six-week summer enrichment program, Winburn students worked on a new flower bed around the school's entrance sign.

About three dozen students have delved into Mexico, New Orleans and Africa during a summer enrichment program at Winburn Middle School.

While focusing on the varied destinations, they rotated through classes ranging from math, history and Spanish to baton-twirling, kung fu and photography. The kids also took Friday field trips to a water park, the ArtsPlace gallery and Fort Boonesborough, to name a few.

“We’re trying to tie in some lessons and do some fun stuff,” said Blair Haydon, the school’s grant program manager. “It helps with their math and reading levels and keeping those up over the summer. It’s also been a good way to increase self-esteem and self-confidence.”

Within each two-week theme, the kids learned about diverse people, customs, geography and food. For instance, mosaics of Mexico’s flag – made of red, white and green grains of rice – lined one hallway. Another day, students harvested fresh ingredients in the community garden down the street and cooked squash casserole.

As for favorites, rising sixth-grader Isaiah Ray especially liked the relay races to answer questions on the board, the New Orleans red beans-and-rice dish, and recreation time. “We’ve been learning about teamwork,” he noted.

Winburn partnered with the city’s Parks and Recreation department to put on the six-week program, which was funded by a 21^st Century Community Learning Center grant. These grants, which are administered by the Kentucky Department of Education as part of the federal Title IV program, are used to design and implement out-of-school academic and enrichment programs. 

In addition, a Neighborhood Community Sustainability grant from LFUCG to the Winburn PTSA enabled the kids to spruce up the area around the school’s entrance sign.

“They want to take a lot of pride in the appearance of their school,” said Haydon, who described how students dug out and weeded the flower bed, planted daylilies and added mulch. They’ll put in shrubs this fall.

“At first it was just grassy and boring,” eighth-grader Desiree Ray recalled.

“Then we brought it to life!” classmate Corderra Willis chimed in.

The garden project lent itself to science lessons, such as finding out the make-up of Kentucky soil and what grows well here. Haydon also deemed it a confidence booster and a good life-skills activity as students learned to safely handle shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows.  

Throughout the program, leaders encouraged the youngsters to take initiative and build positive habits in the classroom and in their lives overall.

“It’s going to pay off,” said David Clark, a social worker from Tates Creek High School. “Hopefully it’ll carry over into the school year and they’ll get a good start.”

Background

In the news archives: MLK Academy, Winburn receive enrichment grants