The Island Trees Summer YES (Youth Education Summer) Program was held last month in the school district and many residents took advantage of sending their elementary youngsters to the one-month program offering activities in the areas of reading, math, computer skills, science experiments, recreation and arts and crafts.

The program, available for students in grades one through three, is housed in the J. Fred Sparke Elementary School and the program for students in grades four through six was held in the middle school. Island Trees educators love the program because it offers an additional month for teachers to involve over 800 students with reading, writing, hands-on math experiences, science experiments, computer usage and other educational activities that stretch their minds.

In addition to the regular academic program, a reading support program is specifically designed for selected students who could benefit from a more intensive reading support program. In the program, a reading support teacher works with small groups of children to help them improve their reading skills over the summer.

A math support program is also offered for students who could benefit from math intervention. Small groups of children (no more than eight in a group) work with a math support teacher to help improve their math skills over the summer. Two hundred students also took advantage of the summer music program that is available to all students in grades four through 12 at the middle school.

Parents are very appreciative of the YES Program because in addition to the educational aspects of the program their children are offered a well-run, safe program for an affordable price of just $3. Students and teachers alike enjoyed this summer's program.