Tag: Summer Learning Academy

Two girls using a baby doll to learn about caring for babies in a college nursing lab.

More than 600 Students Attend Free ECC’s Summer Learning Academy

September 15, 2024 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College’s Summer Learning Academy (SLA) welcomed 611 students this year in more than 100 classes in Union and Rolla.

There were 446 students participating in Union and 165 students in Rolla, resulting in 1,015 total enrollments across the service region.

SLA provides enriching, educational, and fun classes at no cost for children and teens ages 5-18. The academy ran from July 8 through Aug. 8.

A boy and girl practicing archery outdoors during a Summer Learning Academy Archery class.

A total of 718 seats were filled in Union, and 297 enrollments were in Rolla. Many students enrolled in more than one class, contributing to the total number of enrollments.

Here is what SLA students said about the classes:

“I enjoyed learning a new skill that I will definitely use in the future.”
“Entertaining and fun class. Very educational.”
“I had a wonderful time. Seeing the finished project was my favorite part.”
“I enjoyed the class. I liked using my creativity to my advantage. Being with my friends and getting to make many things was my favorite part of the class.”
“I love to crochet! Please offer this class again next year. You can’t make it better—it’s already perfect.”
“I met amazing people and really vibed with the teacher.”

More SLA Comments

Parents of the children who attended classes, like Patrick Pigeon, also expressed their appreciation for SLA.

“This is a great opportunity for our son to stay engaged and learn something new over the summer. Keep those classes coming,” he said.

Elaine Grover shared that her grandson thrived in the Colors Galore class and learned from the Internet Safety class.

“Excellent classes—my grandson had a great time and learned a lot in both classes,” she said. “The projects in Colors Galore were especially enjoyed, particularly the ‘stained glass’ project. He’s still talking about how to rate passwords from the Internet Safety class.”

Another parent expressed gratitude for the free, educational offerings.

“Our children have participated in the program for several years. It’s wonderful that they are exposed to a variety of subjects and classes that you wouldn’t find anywhere else,” she said. “I’d like to thank the taxpayers and sponsors. It’s really great that these classes are free—we need more of this!”

Pam Kaiser, program coordinator for the Center for Workforce Development, said the goal of the Summer Learning Academy is to offer a diverse range of enriching and engaging classes for the entire college service region.

“I love seeing the happy and enthusiastic faces of both students and parents. Year after year, I’m so proud of every class we offer,” Kaiser said. “It’s wonderful to have classes led by community members and our own ECC community.

“Many of these classes even provide a preview of the quality credit courses students can take in the future at ECC,” she added. “The instructors are incredible and passionate about what they teach—sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s having more fun, the students or the instructors!”

SLA Sponsors

SLA was free for participants this year thanks to the generosity of sponsors, including local Taco Bell restaurants and their parent company, W&M Restaurants; Rotary Clubs of Franklin County (Sullivan, Union, and Washington); local Jimmy John’s restaurants; and the ECC Foundation.

“It never ceases to amaze me how generous our sponsors are, allowing us to continue offering these classes at no cost to the youth in our ECC communities in Union and Rolla. It truly gives students an amazing experience,” Kaiser said.

Additional SLA sponsors include 3R RV Service Center, Bank of Washington, Bank of Franklin County, Brewer Science, Central Methodist University, Edward Jones — Andrew Clary, First State Community Bank, Mercy, Pepsi, Phelps County Bank, and Union Lions Club.

Registration Open for Summer Learning Academy Classes

May 18, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

There still are opportunities to register for Summer Learning Academy (SLA) classes offered through East Central College’s Community Education program.

SLA provides a unique, fun experience for area youth on the Union campus and in Rolla. There is no cost to attend classes, but registration is required. To sign up for classes or to request to be on a waitlist, visit www.eastcentral.edu/community/SLA.

SLA is free thanks to the generosity of sponsors, including SLA Gold sponsors: Jimmy John’s, the Rotary Club of Washington, ECC Foundation, Brewer Science, Inc. and Edward Jones (various offices). View all of our sponsors on the SLA website.

Some classes meet once, and others meet twice in a week, or three to five days. The first class in Rolla begin July 10, and all the classes wrap up on or before Aug. 3.

Classes in the College’s SLA are designed with curiosity and creativity in mind — letting students develop talents and encourage exploration and personal growth. Classes are offered for students ages five to 18 and cover a wide range of topics.

According to Loretta Peterman, corporate STEM education manager with Brewer Science, Inc., SLA offers a fun opportunity for children to learn.

“The Summer Learning Academy is always a lot of fun and the students are eager to have fun while learning,” she said. “Students can explore at their own speed — no grades and no homework make Summer Learning Academy very attractive.”

SLA is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn new skills, make new friends, and have fun. All area youth are invited to participate.

Michelle Widener, the mother of an SLA participant, said she is impressed with the program and her family quickly noticed the benefits.

“It was a great way to introduce my daughter to new experiences and it opened up a new creative avenue for her,” she said. “We are so thankful for this great resource.”

Among the classes still available in Union are:

Fiber Crafts
Laugh Your Way to Improve
Escape Room-Post Apocalyptic
Get to Know Franklin County
Fishing
Christmas in July
Fire Safety
Internet Safety
Drumming Leadership

Some of the classes still available in Rolla are:

Intro to Kayaking
Mammals of Missouri
Amazing Anatomy
Picture Yourself a Radiologic Technician
Christmas in July
Jazz Funk Dance
Juggling for Beginners
It’s Your Bag
Animal Portraiture
Tabletop Game Design
Internet Safety
WeDo Robotics

Students or parents will be asked to prioritize their interests while registering. Participants can register for a maximum of four classes, but not all the classes are guaranteed.

For more information, people may email Pam.Kaiser@eastcentral.edu or call 636-649-5803.

Summer Learning Academy Grows in 2022

August 26, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College’s Summer Learning Academy (SLA) saw a significant increase in students this year compared to 2021.

There were 566 students in classes during this year’s offering — 418 in Union and 148 in Rolla. That’s compared to 320 students last year, including 198 students at the Union campus and 112 in Rolla classes.

Through the SLA, children and teens ages 5 to 18 were in classrooms on the Union campus and Rolla sites exploring fun and creative activities. SLA ran from July 5 through Aug. 12.

The goal of academy was to provide a wide array of enriching and exciting classes for the entire college service region, according to Pam Kaiser, program coordinator for the Center for Workforce Development.

“Every class is designed to be fun and exciting for whatever age group it is geared toward — these classes can be enriching and empowering,” she said. “It is an opportunity for students to develop talents and encourage exploration, and personal growth.”

SLA was Facilitated by ECC’s Community Education program. Kaiser organized, advertised and oversaw the entire Academy. She was assisted this year by Jennifer Eagan.

SLA Sponsors

SLA was free for participants this year thanks to the generosity of sponsors, including Edward Jones offices in Washington, Union and Rolla; local Jimmy John’s restaurants and the ECC Foundation.

“Sponsors made a world of different this year, and they are a reason that we had so many participants,” Kaiser added.

There was a wide selection of varying classes, including some unique classes. Students participated in classes like, Nursing (how to care for babies), Science by Brewer, Hogwarts Wizardry, Junior Welding, Youth Theatre, Fishing, Robotics, Computers, Cheerleading and a Cardboard Sculpture class.

Kaiser noted that the cardboard sculptures showed just how creative and talented SLA students can be. The class was taught by Miguel De Aguero, who recently retired from ECC. He worked with the students to use their imagination and create animals, masks, vehicles and many other things from only cardboard, tape and a few other supplies.

Kaiser added that a large amount of cardboard was donated to SLA by Short Run Boxes, a Union area store that specializes in custom and stock cardboard boxes and moving supplies.

SLA featured new classes this year, including multiple Escape Rooms, two culinary arts classes, Pizza from Scratch, and baking class Decorating Fun Foods; Laugh Your Way to Improv and Forensic Camp, all in Union.

In Rolla, new classes included: All Things You Cannot See, a class where students worked with microscopes; Exploring Egyptology, Winter Sowing and WEDO Robotics.

New Summer Learning Academy Classes in Rolla

June 9, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College is offering a new slate of Summer Learning Academy (SLA) classes for Rolla area children and teens.

The academy will provide a unique, fun experience for area youth this summer, and this year the classes are free.

SLA is facilitated by the ECC Community Education division. This is the first year there will be classes offered in Rolla.

There are a variety of classes geared toward children ages five to 16. New classes include: Newborn/Pediatric Nursing: How to Care for Baby, Science by Brewer, Fly Tying Fun!, EV3 Robotics, Harry Potter and the Science of Potions, Exploring Egyptology and Learn the Art of Crochet.

To sign up or to see a class schedule, visit Summer Learning Academy.

SLA classes are designed with curiosity and creativity in mind — letting students develop talents and encourage exploration and personal growth.

Students or parents will be asked to prioritize their interests while registering. After registering for three courses, they will be placed on a waiting list if they choose to sign up for a fourth course. Participants can register for a maximum of four classes.

For more information, people may email Pam.Kaiser@eastcentral.edu or call 636-649-5803.

ECC to Offer Summer Learning Academy at No Cost

April 27, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College will once again hold its Summer Learning Academy (SLA) and this year there is no cost to participate.

The academy, facilitated by the ECC Community Education division, will provide a unique, fun experience for area youth on the Union campus or the ECC Rolla site this summer. This is the first year there will be classes offered in Rolla.

There are a variety of classes geared toward children ages five to 16 including, archery, science rocks, robotics and computer programming, soil science, nursing, junior welding, theatre, cheerleading and more.

To sign up or see a class schedule, visit Summer Learning Academy.

SLA classes are designed with curiosity and creativity in mind — letting students develop talents and encourage exploration and personal growth.

“We have the opportunity to offer these classes at no cost to families to enrich children within the communities we serve,” said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “Any chance we have to provide a service like this to our community fits well with our mission.”

For more information, people may email Pam.Kaiser@eastcentral.edu or call 636-649-5803.

Summer Learning Academy Offers New Classes in 2019

March 4, 2019 | Campus News

The East Central College Community Education Department is proud to announce new offerings for the 2019 Summer Learning Academy!

“All of our classes are designed with curiosity in mind,” said Program Assistant Bonnie Devine. “We want to encourage personal growth and enable students to develop talents and skills. At the same time, we want them to have fun in the process!”

Five new classes will be added for students to enjoy this summer – including the Newborn/Pediatric Nursing: How to Care for a Baby class. It will be taught by East Central College Nursing Instructor Jessica Van Leer and is designed for children ages 5-8 years old.

“This class is perfect for a child that is expecting a new sibling or just loves babies,” Van Leer explained. “Students will learn about changing diapers, swaddling, how to hold a baby properly, when to call 911 and much more.”

Students can also learn about becoming an EMT or Paramedic this year. In this Summer Learning Academy class, students will explore the differences between an EMT and Paramedic and options within the EMS career field. Each student will become CPR certified by the end of class.

East Central College Art Instructor Jenifer Higerd will lead the Clay Creations for Kids class this summer. Students will explore the possibilities in clay using a variety of forming techniques.

“We are going to have a lot of fun in this class,” said Higerd. “Students will be making a monster-face mug, a garden-ready mini gnome home and stenciled plates.”

The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer a new Missourian Mammals and More class, exploring the different animals who call Missouri home. A Readers Theatre class for children 8 to 14 will also be offered. The three-day class will increase reading fluency, expression and comprehension skills and will end with a theatrical performance!

Check out the Summer Learning Academy schedule and sign your student up for classes at www.eastcentral.edu/sla. Parents can also call 636-584-6529 for more information.

Summer Learning Academy Thrives in First Year

August 7, 2018 | Campus News

This summer, Samuel Getchman kept busy. He designed a video game, solved a forensic mystery and escaped a vault.

“I wanted to be able to express my creativity,” he said, “I like exploring. I like expanding my mind.”

He was able to do all three at East Central College’s Summer Learning Academy. Facilitated by Community Education, it provided a unique, fun experience for area youth on the Union campus this summer.

“These classes were designed with curiosity in mind – letting students develop talents and encourage personal growth,” said Program Coordinator Bonnie Devine. “In the past, we’ve offered traditional summer camp-style activities, but we went in a new direction this year.”

Along with the new name, classes were completely redesigned.

“To make this program successful, we knew we needed faculty buy-in,” said Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations. “We wanted to bring their knowledge and expertise into the mix. We wanted to strike the right balance between having fun and learning something new.”

Several East Central College instructors jumped at the chance to be a part of Summer Learning Academy. Assistant Professor of Engineering Dr. Isaiah Kellogg created an escape room where students used math and science skills to solve puzzles before the clock ran out. Journalism instructor Leigh Kolb facilitated a student-run online newspaper where students put their reporting skills to the test. Science Laboratory Manager Jennifer Chitwood ran a forensics lab where students were able solve crime mysteries and learn from real law enforcement investigators.

Culinary Program Coordinator Mike Palazzola offered a made-from-scratch pizza class and a dessert bakeshop class for students.

“I always get excited when we have young students in the kitchen,” said Palazzola. “We not only teach them how to cook but also why it’s important to learn about kitchen safety and following instructions.”

The new look and feel of Summer Learning Academy made a difference with enrollment. Nearly 220 students signed up for classes this year, a 70 percent jump over 2017!

“Several classes reached capacity in just a few weeks,” said Devine. “We hope to expand more next year and continue to offer new, exciting classes for area youth.”