By Mike Barnhardt
Enterprise Record

School in the summer?
That’s just fine for some 42 students at Mocksville Elementary. They come to school every morning, have breakfast, attend classes, have lunch and then head to the Davie Family YMCA for summer camp.
And you can bet that when school starts again in a few weeks, they will be more prepared to succeed.
The YMCA received a $42,100 grant from the Mebane Charitable Foundation for the project called Summer Learning Academy. The goal is simple: to stop the learning loss that happens in summer and keep students on grade level.
“We are tremendously grateful for the generous support that brings us closer to bridging the education achievement gap in our communities, which we know it is critical for students in the community,” said Chris Comer, YMCA executive director. “Studies show that a student’s future success can in many ways be determined by the end of second grade. The farther students fall behind, the greater the chances they may never make up that achievement gap.”
Research shows that students, on average, lose one month of learning over the summer. For lower income students, the loss is greater, about two months per student in math and reading.
All elementary schools are represented at the academy, which employs local teachers. Parents are involved, and must also attend workshops. “We’ve taken it to the family level. How can I take the Summer Learning Academy information and better help my child at home,” Comer said …