Believe 2 Become
Summer Learning at UCOM
In 2011 UCOM, with the help of our community partners and all of our fantastic supporters, hosted its first ever Believe 2 Become Summer Learning program.
The Believe 2 Become Summer Learning program is a literacy program meant to help combat the learning loss that occurs while students are on summer vacation. The program’s main focus is literacy and reading comprehension, but students engage in science, math, arts, music, and social studies activities as well.
UCOM’s first Believe 2 Become program ran for four weeks from June 20TH through July 15TH. Running for two hours Monday through Thursday at UCOM, students engaged in 32 extra hours of instruction that they otherwise would not have. Each week the program focused on a different theme and was accompanied by corresponding readings and activities as well as a weekly field trip. The four units for our first year’s program were: folk tales, transportation, animals, and travel. The students’ first excursion was a trip to see the children’s opera, Little Red Riding Hood, performed at 1St Park Congregational Church. The program also features weekly guest readers who read aloud to students and talked about their careers as well as the importance of education in their lives. If you are interested in volunteering as a guest reader in the future you can learn more here.
UCOM’s Believe 2 Become program is currently enrolling Grand Rapids Public Schools students from grades 1-5. Students will need daily transportation to and from the program which is held at UCOM, 1311 Chicago Dr. SW Wyoming, MI 49509. Transportation for field trips will be provided for students. Parents are encouraged to join the program for field trips but will need their own transportation. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please contact UCOM Program Director, Shawn Keener, at 616-241-4006.
