ESL Program Makes Sure ‘Summer’s Cool’

Published June 2, 2017

Students may be heading to Kenrose Elementary for classes during June, but don’t call it summer school. It’s the Summer’s Cool English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

Until June 23, students of all ages are spending the weekday mornings at KES brushing up on their English skills through fun activities and projects.

“It’s amazing,” said Summer’s Cool teacher Anne Marie Peterson. “We’ll see kids who, the first week, they don’t know their letters. By the end of the month, we’re working on word families and blending words, or they’re starting to speak and answer questions.”

Normally, when a kid thinks about summer school, excitement isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. The Summer’s Cool Camp aims to change that.

“They try to make it really fun and hands-on,” said Peterson. “These kids come in the door happy. They really want to work on their English.”

During their first week, students learned what happens to gummy bears when you soak them in water overnight, how magnets work and how to propel a boat made of pencils and plastic containers across a bucket of water. At the same time, they were improving their English.

“They’re just like little sponges because their brains absorb everything, and they’re excited,” Peterson said. “It’s really fun.”