NATCHEZ — Every fall, educators battle with so-called brain drain, the loss children suffer from being academically and athletically inactive over the summer months.

Vidalia Junior High Principal Whest Shirley said the momentum teachers lose during the summer months is the impetus behind the thought of doing school year round to improve learning achievement.

“You don’t need to let your kid sit on the couch all summer watching Cartoon Network,” he said. “Every study you read shows you have to keep that brain active and stay physically active.”

Many area schools will be packing students’ backpacks with math packets, summer reading lists and other assignments. That’s because teacher surveys show that 66 percent of instructors are spending three to four weeks at the beginning of the school year teaching old, forgotten concepts.

Shirley said Vidalia Junior High is no exception to the stuffing backpacks rule.

“We are going to assign three books for students to read over the summer,” he said. “We want parents to encourage their children to read a little every day.”

It doesn’t just have to be literature assignments, Shirley said. If a child is interested in sports or an athlete, why not read a book about that or even subscribe to a magazine.

“I want to see every kid with a book in their hand this summer,” he said. “I was an average reader back when I was in junior high, but then I learned the value of reading.

“You can’t pass these tests if you are a poor reader. If you can’t comprehend what you are reading, then you are not going to be successful.”

Being physically active is also important, as children these days are having trouble running five laps.

Institute of Medicine studies suggest that children who are more physically active are better able to focus, have better memory and are able to perform tasks more swiftly.

“You have got to keep your children active,” Shirley said.

Fortunately, Shirley said, the Miss-Lou is full of activities over the summer months.

For example, he regularly encourages children, including his own, to attend summer reading programs at the library.

Shirley also suggested letting children have some ownership in what they do.

“Let your children say, ‘This is what I think I want to try,’” he said. “Don’t force them like they used to force us to play summer league ball. Maybe your kid wants to try playing the piano, and if so, I say go for it.

“If they know they have some say so in the things they will accomplish over the summer, I think they will buy into it more.”

Kathleen Mackey King, proprietor of the Children’s Prep Music Studio, said music pairs well with academics including math, attention span and helps build self-esteem.

She also said it improves teamwork skills.

“It is an enjoyable activity that you get to work with others as you experiment with the different instruments and singing together,” she said. “It makes children more well-rounded.”

Art can also be a good topic for children over the summer, said Natchez Fine Framing and Art Gallery owner Chris Cavette.

“It helps build their imaginations and also improves their concentration,” he said. “They also learn to collaborate with the other students. It’s like a team the way they come up with different ideas to solve problems.”

Natchez parent Kelley Gay, whose daughter goes to Cathedral School, said one of the things she loves about this community is the variety of camps offered every summer, both academic and athletic.

“It feels good to know my daughter will be having fun while also learning something new in a safe environment throughout the summer,” she said. “I think summer programs are fantastic, not only do they prevent kids from getting bored and engaging in too many sedentary activities, they keep their minds sharp.”

 

Library programs

Both the Concordia Parish Library and Natchez’s Judge George Armstrong Library systems will offer free summer reading programs for children starting at preschool all the way up to teens.

Armstrong Library will kick off its summer programming with Magic Man on May 31 and continue each Tuesday throughout the month of June. Programs include The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, Moo Sul Kwan martial arts and Freedom Ranch.

For more information on the Armstrong Library, call 601-445-8862.

Both the Vidalia and the Ferriday branches of the Concordia Parish Library will have musicians, magicians, professional storytellers and The Snakeman perform throughout the summer. The program will also include My Plate Parachute, a course on nutrition.

For more information, call the Ferriday branch at 318-757-3550 or Vidalia at 318-336-5043.

 

College Camps

Both Copiah-Lincoln Community College — Natchez campus and the Historic Jefferson College will offer programs over the summer to keep children engaged.

Over four weeks, Co-Lin will offer several programs for children ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade. The fees range from $45 to $50.

Kids College classes include cheerleading, agility, mad science, computer arts, science exploration, archaeology, gardening and art.

Class times are typically 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday. For more information, contact Emily Edwards at 601-446-1103.

Jefferson College’s offerings will be a little different this summer, said Historian Kelli Mitchell. Instead of weeklong camps, the college will host several 3-hour day-long camps.

A total of 12 camps will be offered for ages 6-14 starting on June 2, and each class costs $15.

Camps include studies about archaeology, frontier skills, pioneer games and crafts, disease and disaster, ancient weapons, snakes and reptiles, bats and birds, forensics, Civil War and architecture.

For more information, call 601-442-2901 or email info@historicjeffersoncollege.com.

 

Gymnastics and dance

Starting June 13, the Natchez Gymnastics Association will offer a summer session for children of all skill levels aged preschool to 12. Tuition is $100.

For more information, call Kim Strawbridge at 601-597-5038.

Natchez Ballet Academy will have its Ballerina Princess Camp starting June 20 and running until June 24.

Classes include Mommy and Me for toddlers, ages 3 to 4 and 5 to 6. Tuition is $45 for Mommy and Me and $85 for ages 3-6.

For more information, call 601-870-8920.

 

Baseball and softball

Double Play Academy in Vidalia will offer both a softball and baseball camps starting on June 6. A morning camp will be from 10 a.m. to noon for ages 5 to 9, and a camp from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. for ages 10-15. The camp is $79.99.

For more information, call 318-414-2273.

 

Golf and tennis

Duncan Park will be offering golf and tennis camps this summer.

The five-week golf camps start the first Monday in June and cost $50. Every Monday, ages 5-12 will play from 9 to 10 a.m. and ages 13-17 will play from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

 

 

Music and Art

The Children’s Music Prep Studio is offering three different music classes for ages ranging 3-10 on June 20-24.

The camp for ages 3-5 is from 4:15 to 5 p.m. Ages 4-6 will camp from 3:15 to 4 p.m. Ages 6-10 will camp from 2:15 to 3 p.m. Tuition is $75.

The curriculum includes playing instruments, learning music appreciation, playing musical games, learning to read music, learning about movement and singing.

For more information, call King at 601-807-8281.

 

Little Theatre

The Natchez Little Theatre will host its 2016 Summer Youth Workshop featuring the Disney play “The Little Mermaid” featuring Ariel and her under the sea friends.

Classes will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday starting May 31 and running until June 23.

Performances begin on June 23 and go until June 26.

Cost is $200 per child, and $100 for a sibling of a registered child. Executive and Creative Director Layne Taylor said 15 spots are still available.

For more information, contact the Little Theatre at 601-442-2233.

 

On the Farm

The Adams County Farm Bureau Federation along with the Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Mississippi State University Extension Service will host a 4-H Farm Camp on July 6 and 7, The cost is $30

The days begin at 8:30 a,m. and run until 4 p.m. Activities include dog training, gardening, horse training, walking nature trails and archery.

The activities are subject to change.

For more information, call 601-445-8201.

 

Natchez Indian Village

The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians will host four camps during its Discover Week. Two camps will be offered twice, the week of June 13 and the week of June 20. The first week is for ages 7-9 and the second for ages 5-6.

The two sports camps focus on Native American games, the most popular being stick ball, which is similar to lacrosse. Campers will also learn about flint knapping or the making of spear points, as well as archery. Students will be able to hike the nature trail and meet a non-venomous corn snake. The sports camp costs $25 and begins at 9 a.m. each week.

Craft camps focus on Native American arts from different regions in the country. Activities include making musical instruments, mobiles, jewelry, sand painting and pottery. They will also get to make games to take home with them. The craft camp costs $40 and begins at 2 p.m. each week.

If a child wishes to participate in both camps, it costs $60.

For more information, call 601-446-6502.

 

 

Camp Greenwave

Cathedral School’s Camp Greenwave will run the week of July 11 from 8 a.m. to noon. The cost for the camp is $175.

The camp is for students in preschool running up to fifth grade.

Pre-K students will explore a space theme featuring creative games, creative centers and crafts focused on age-appropriate writing, reading and math skills.

Kindergarteners will cover handwriting, phonics and math skills, while learning to write simple sentences. Children will also wiggle, dance and have s’mores.

First, second and third graders will also be participating in age-appropriate learning around a space theme with games and art projects.

Fourth and fifth graders will experience a Star Wars Theme as they learn age-appropriate skills.

For more information call 601-442-1988.