Communities in Schools of North Texas is always seeking innovative ways to keep students engaged in their learning, and ACE Summer programs are no exception! Texas ACE, or Afterschool Centers on Education, is a federally funded grant program that provides students with academic support and enrichment, as well as basic needs and resources to students and families.
This year, CISNT ACE Site Coordinators Zhané Johnson and Corissa Sandoval hosted a seven-week summer program for over 100 students at Lewisville Elementary School. Students from Lewisville Elementary, Mill Street Elementary, and Central Elementary came together for hands-on learning experiences, which included summer reading, field trips, sports camps, and free breakfast and lunch daily. Although students were initially hesitant to connect because they came from different schools, they quickly opened up and bonded over shared interests. By the end of the summer, many new friendships had formed!
CISNT’s ACE Site Coordinators are dedicated to providing services that are fun, interactive, and engaging, while holistically addressing students’ academic, behavioral, and basic needs. On a typical day, students engaged in various hands-on activities, so-called “learning in disguise.” Through sports, video games, arts and crafts, LEGOs, board games, friendship bracelets, STEM activities, and much more, students had fun while learning skills and exploring new interests. The ACE summer program also featured special one-off opportunities, such as field trips to create lasting memories for the students. One of these trips included a visit to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, where students experienced the Omni Theater for the first time!
Additionally, this summer, students were divided into eight groups and challenged to create a team logo and chant. These logos and chants, along with various results from competitions and points for good behavior, contributed to their overall team ranking after the talent show at the end of the program! Each group spent the summer perfecting their performances, including plays, dances, sing-alongs, drawings, and more. Students were fully engaged, working closely with their peers to write scripts and create their best works of art. After weeks of preparation, each group showcased a unique activity in front of a panel of judges to wrap up the summer. The performances reflected the unique character of each group, making the talent show a memorable experience for every student. We are so proud of our ACE Summer programs!
CISNT is always looking for volunteers to support our afterschool programs! If you are interested in getting involved, please visit https://cisnt.org/volunteer/ and https://cisnt.org/afterschool/ to learn more about available opportunities.
If you are a parent and/or guardian interested in afterschool opportunities at your student’s campus, please contact info@cisnt.org for more information.
