Fifth and sixth graders at C.C. Pinckney sport their shades and play bongo drums along to the song “Sunshine” during their Spring Music Concert, May 25. (Photo by Emily Hileman)

Sliding into summer break

By Emily Hileman, Fort Jackson Public Affairs

C.C. Pinckney Elementary School students hosted their Spring Music Concert; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Day; and Field Days for the two weeks leading up to summer vacation. The school year ends June 7 and leaves students out of school to enjoy the summer for two full months until school resumes on Aug. 7.

Although summer break is a time of excitement and a much-needed break for many, it can also lead to something many educators have dubbed “summer slide.”

“Having multiple months of not going to school can be detrimental to children,” said Katherine Livingston, library director for the Fort Jackson Library.

Students who fail to read and socialize tend to lose some of the academic, fine arts, physical, and social achievements they’ve gained during the previous school year.

To combat summer slide and keep children engaged throughout the summer, the Fort Jackson Library and Child and Youth Services host a variety of events to keep young minds growing and engaged.

The Summer Reading Program has weekly events that will keep the entire family engaged. “This is a community space,” Livingston said. “We’re not just a warehouse of books. We want it to be a space that’s used and utilized.”

The program is open to the Fort Jackson community, including civilians and retirees and begins the first full week of June. The first week is loaded with fun events such as matinee movies, Lego club, game club and their karaoke and cupcake kickoff.

“We’re excited to kick off the Lego Club every Tuesday and the game club every other Saturday,” said Kimberly McDowell- Will, the children’s librarian. “There’s going to be Dungeons and Dragons for ages 10 and up as well as featured board games each week for all ages.”

These are just a few of the fun and exciting things happening at the library this summer. For more information, contact the library Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 751-5589 or visit them at 4679 Lee Road.

Child & Youth Services also has an action-packed events list and summer camp. These events are for those who are sixth through twelfth grade and are currently registered with CYS.

Summer camp activities range from Outdoor Adventure Camp, with activities that include archery, hiking and rock climbing, to The Art of the Hustle Camp, which is a week-long camp devoted to learning entrepreneurial skills through a variety of projects.

CYS also offers field trips to local adventure and amusement parks, as well as open recreation time, bingo, card tournaments and scavenger hunts for those who prefer to stay indoors.

While CYS is free for attendees Monday – Friday, 1 – 7 p.m, some field trips and activities do have an associated cost and children must be registered with CYS. Students also must be in sixth grade, not upcoming sixth graders, to participate. For more information or to register, contact CYS at 751-6387.