The Quest for Summer Learning
This summer, over 800 students participated in Summer Quest 2015, Advanced Math and Instrumental Music classes at CCSD59.
The addition of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) focus was new this year. Students spent half their day engaged in literacy-focused activities and the other half applying a variety of skills to authentic problems developed in the STEM classroom.
Lanre Olutade, who will start fourth grade at Juliette Low Elementary School this year, explained that the project work he did over the summer began with reading and writing about animals, followed by incorporating online research. He created a visual presentation and concluded the project by writing a letter to the Shedd Aquarium summarizing what he learned and requesting more information.
According to Lanre, the literacy and STEM aspects of the project, “connected great, like peanut butter and jelly. This year, the kids will remember all they learned, but also will remember it for fun.”
He particularly enjoyed “practicing typing, which is a skill we all need.”
When asked what he would tell other kids about SummerQuest 2015, he responded with a large smile, “I would say it’s fun! You learn new things, you meet new people, you learn computer skills, and PE is great! Who doesn’t like PE?”
Cindy Czarnik, who taught at SummerQuest 2015 agreed, “It is so exciting for me to come and see the students really want to be here. It’s viewed very positively, and I hope the STEM aspect I taught has helped continue to improve the program.”
Amy DeLuca, who also taught at the summer program, added, “It was so rewarding to see the students truly engaged in their learning and enjoying the exploration of topics that really interest them.”
When asked to consider his favorite teacher or subject, Lanre quickly responded, “The district has made great choices for the students. This was a great experience for me, and it was exciting. The district has helped me connect with other people from Nigeria (Lanre’s birth place), while having fun. I have no favorite teacher, they are all too good to just choose one.”
What a great answer to the question, “What did you do over the summer?”