A Summer Well Spent: Summer Camp Reading

More than 300 Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County members spent more than 40 hours each having someone read to them or reading as part of the BGCSCC Summer Camp programming.

“For kids who were not part of the larger Summer Brain Gain–READ! program, the quiet time spent reading or listening to a story provided a natural and calming break for kids and helped give them a strong start to the school year,” said Katee Freeman, Director, Downtown Clubhouse.

The Summer Brain Gain READ! programs at the Live Oak Clubhouse kept 36 members ages 6-11 active in reading and learning and hands-on projects, wrote poetry, participated in team building exercises such as a designing and building contests using recycled materials, collage making, yoga and keeping an online journal. Themes discussed included Conservation, How to Grow and Use your Brain, Summer Olympics, What I Want to be When I Grow Up, Dinosaurs and Mammals.

Books read include Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne, and Lily’s Victory Garden by Helen L. Wilbur. When asked, most of the kids said their favorite book they read during Brain Gain was Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

This summer, the Education Room at the Downtown Clubhouse was one of the busiest and most popular rooms during Summer Camp. The downtown club’s Brain Gain program was STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focused. From learning about urban and city planning and creating their own city, to an entire math game focus week, to learning about physics by creating launchers and potential and kinetic energy roller coasters, engineering earthquake proof buildings and structures, and learning about all the human body systems and creating informational posters, we have been so busy learning!

“The importance of keeping young minds active and engaged during the summer is incredibly important to them being successful academically. But you have to keep things fun or kids will turn off. This summer’s Brain Gain–READ! books, projects and discussions were incredibly relevant and exciting for the kids,” said Leah Levin, Education Director for the Downtown Clubhouse.