The LEAP program offered children the chance to learn about birds through the Audubon’s fun and interactive experience.

“The Audubon does nature activities to educate the kids about nature and environmentally-friendly things to help nature,” said Jon Bragg, Love Elementary School’s LEAP site coordinator.

While the summer LEAP program provides students with fun activities, the program also offers educational benefits for each child.

“The purpose of the LEAP program is so the kids don’t regress on their reading over the summer,” Bragg said.

Bragg explained the summer months often present a challenge for students that do not attend summer school or community learning programs.

“The standard child, if they don’t follow through with programming like this, they regress and they lose most of what they learned during the school year,” he said. “So the purpose is to keep them at their level or improve their reading level throughout the summer.”

Love Elementary School’s LEAP program partners with the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA and the YWCA. The school works with organizations like the Audubon and Striders to provide summer fun and learning for the children, in addition to taking the students on field trips.

“Next week, we go to the Safety Village in the afternoon,” Bragg said. “The key focal point is our reading in the morning, and those fun field trips and partnerships through the community come in and do their programming in the afternoons,” he said.

Bragg said the school’s LEAP program provides visible benefits for students.

“It’s a huge impact,” he said.

Despite students initially viewing the program like summer school and not wanting to attend, Bragg said students quickly became engaged in the program this summer and are eager to come each day.

“After about a week or two, those kids settled in and those kids are the ones that come. They’re waiting at the door every day with their parents. That’s really rewarding, because it goes to show you the positive influence you have on those children’s lives.”

Bragg said the program’s attendance has been “fairly good” this year, especially given the substantial commitment factor for parents during the summer months without public transportation.

“Sometimes it’s really hard for parents to make that commitment when they don’t have transportation,” he said. “That’s a big factor.”

Love Elementary School’s summer Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress program welcomed the Audubon for a fun afternoon of creative learning and activities. Students were excited to learn about birds and interact with different bird feathers. P-J photos by Timothy Frudd