Lone Star College-University Park offers reading and math enrichment for young campers

HOUSTON, TX -- Lone Star College-University Park (LSC-University Park) hosts its newly rebranded Lions Summer Learning Program, providing elementary students with a fun and creative way to continue learning during their summer break.

Formerly known as the Lions Summer Reading Program, the camp has expanded to include math lessons. Designed by LSC-University Park faculty member Jessica Mercado, the program helps students in grades 2-6 stay engaged in learning and brush up on their reading and math skills through crafts, activities and games while closing any learning gaps. The camp is supported by Lone Star College students preparing to become teachers, along with certified teachers.

“We are excited to welcome these students to campus,” said Terri Hill, coordinator of youth engagement programs at LSC-University Park. “Children can learn in different ways. Some can read and catch on, and some benefit from visuals or hands-on instruction. If a student is struggling in reading or math, then trying a new approach can build understanding and confidence. We hope when students return to the classroom, it will open the students’ eyes and give them a renewed enthusiasm for learning.”

The free program welcomed its first cohort on June 1, offering a morning session from 9 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. More than 60 students attended the classes, with some participating in both sessions, which alternated through Reading and Math.

The morning classes primarily focus on reading topics such as story structure, where students create their own books and present them to their parents at the end of the cohort. The afternoon classes revisit math concepts such as telling time and solving more complex math problems. Students used wooden picks and marshmallows to create diagrams that guide them through the problems step by step.

The camp will continue with two additional cohorts June 22-July 1 and July 13-24. Through the summer sessions, the Lions Summer Learning Program aims to help students retain and strengthen their reading and math skills before the new school year begins.

To learn more about the LSC-University Park Summer Learning Program, contact UP-LionsSummerLearningProgram@LoneStar.edu.