New London – To continue another exciting summer of fun at Camp Rotary, representatives from New London Rotary Foundation on Wednesday presented Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School students participating in the summer program with a check for $25,500.
The money will be used to pay for some of the program’s summer activities, which include trips to Ocean Beach Park, Mystic Aquarium and Block Island.
Over 200 applications — a record number for the program — were received for this session of Camp Rotary, which runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. Ultimately, 122 students were selected for the program, which is in its fourth year of operation at the middle school.
On June 24, incoming sixth grade students as well as rising seventh- and eighth-grade students kicked off the award winning summer camp by raising the American flag and the flag of the state of Connecticut at the opening day ceremony for New London Community Boating at Green Harbor Beach.
Since then, their days have been full of engaging activities.
Although summer is about fun, Camp Rotary aims to continue students’ education and this year’s program has a new educational component: daily instruction in math, vocabulary and reading.
From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. four days a week, students in Camp Rotary receive STEM-themed (science, technology, engineering and math) instruction and will continue to focus on the middle school’s goal of improving vocabulary, enhancing strategic reading skills and increasing math literacy. For the remainder of the afternoon, students participate in a regular camp day. On Fridays, students enjoy a full day of camp.
Camp is run by New London Public School teachers and on Wednesday, rising eighth grader Tabari Smith, 12, said he enjoyed participating in the New London Community Boating Program.
The boating program provides free sailing lessons to New London children.
“It teaches you leadership and how to work together. When you come together as a team and you’re sailing at Green Harbor you have to work together to get through the gusts,” he said.
- Julianne Hanckel
Communications Manager, New London Public Schools
(860) 501-8303
hanckelj@newlondon.org
