Summer doesn’t signify the end of learning for all students.

Three elementary schools in Raleigh County are participating in Energy Express, an award-winning summer reading, breakfast and lunch program that benefits more than 120 students — kindergarten through sixth grade.

Coal City, Cranberry-Prosperity and Bradley elementary schools are each offering the six-week program.

Raleigh County Energy Express coordinator Rhonda Coleman says the program’s important since many children from low-income families fall behind, both nutritionally and academically, during the summer months.

According to the National Center for Summer Learning, studies show students fall more than two months behind in math skills and low-income children fall behind an average of two months in reading while their middle-income peers tend to make slight gains.

Johns Hopkins researchers recently found that 65 percent of the achievement gap between poor and more advantaged ninth-graders can be explained by unequal summer learning experiences during the elementary school years.

“This program ensures that they receive good nutrition and stay involved in fun and educational activities,” Coleman said of Energy Express.

“Energy Express has been shown to help children, not only maintain their reading skills during the summer, but often to actually improve them.”

Energy Express is led by a group of college students and community residents serving as AmeriCorps members.

Coal City Elementary School Energy Express site coordinator Janet Smith, who’s also a reading teacher at the school, says Energy Express is fundamental to rural schools like Coal City.

“We have a large free and reduced socio-economic population here. So it’s real important to keep the children’s minds activated, their stomachs full, and give them a safe place for the summer,” Smith said.

“Each student gets a free breakfast, a free lunch, and they get six weeks of theme-based learning activities. We have a wonderful time reading and doing different things. It keeps children from regressing. I’d like to see more children involved.”

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Students participating in Coal City Elementary School’s Energy Express program got a visit from Curby, the Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority’s interactive robot, on Monday.

Charlie Houck, executive vice president of City National Bank, serves as the voice of Curby, while members of the Solid Waste Authority read to the children and discuss the importance of picking up trash and recycling.

Energy Express needs more local volunteers to read to the children, help serve meals and donate supplies.

The program began June 29 and will run through Aug. 3.

Anyone interested in volunteering or entering their child in the program can contact Smith at 304-683-5001 or by e-mail at jntlsmit@access. k12.wv.us.

— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com