The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

July 2, 2009

Johns Hopkins University recognizes Energy Express as One of The Nation’s Best Summer Learning Programs

By Jackie Ayres

Energy Express, offered at several locations in southern West Virginia, was recently selected by Johns Hopkins University as one of the top three summer learning programs in the country.

West Virginia’s statewide Energy Express program was picked from dozens of applicants across the country.

“Energy Express stands out as an outstanding summer learning program,” says Ron Fairchild, executive director of the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins.

“This program is a perfect example of the kind of educational innovation that closes the achievement gap. Its use of federal stimulus dollars to serve more children this summer is a model for other communities seeking to improve educational outcomes of low-income children.”

Energy Express was awarded the 2009 Excellence in Summer Learning Award, which recognizes “summer programs that demonstrate excellence in accelerating academic achievement and promoting healthy development for young people.”

This year, Energy Express was able to increase the number of children served by 10 percent and add six more sites, thanks to $175,000 from President Obama’s federal economic stimulus package.

The stimulus dollars will enable Energy Express to engage 63 additional AmeriCorps members for a total of 555 college-age students who will work with the children statewide, according to Ruthellen Phillips, the director of Energy Express.

Energy Express was started in 1994 to address the reading loss and nutritional decline experienced by low-income children during the summer.

Since then, it has grown dramatically from serving 85 children entering grades 1 through 6 at two sites in two counties to helping 3,280 children at 83 sites in 41 counties.

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Energy Express is being offered at several local places:

Fayette County: Mount Hope Community Center. Contact Deb Pate 304-574-4234 for more information.

Greenbrier: Alderson, Frankford, Lewisburg, Rainelle, Ronceverte, Western Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs. Contact Linda Simmons at 304-647-7408.

Monroe: Mountainview, Peterstown Elementary School. Contact Donald Dransfield at 304-772-3003.

Raleigh: Bradley Elementary School, Coal City Elementary School, Cranberry-Prosperity Elementary School. Contact Rhonda Coleman at 304-255-9321.

Wyoming: Huff Consolidated, Mullens. Contact Susan England-Lord at 304-732-8000, extension 213.

— E-mail:jayres@register-herald.com

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