Summer Program Keeps Kids’ Minds Sharp

PALM DESERT – Summer break shouldn’t cause a break in learning, but every fall teachers spend four tosix weeks re-teaching what students forgot during summer.

Some call the educational backslide “summer brain drain.” To avoid it, Kimberly Foli’s son is in theI Can Learn summer tutoring program.

“Doing this will prepare him for fourth grade and give him the confidence he needs,” says Foli.

During summer vacation, many children sit home, watching tv, or playing video games.

“If they’re not exercising their brain muscles or math muscles or reading, then when they come back to school, it takes a lot longer for the review to kick in,” says Teresa Adams-Ridila, director for I Can Learn.

In these tough times, many parents don’t have the time to quiz their kids or the money to pay someone else to do it.

However, throughI Can Learn, kids get low-cost tutoring and supervision all in one place. While parents are at work, their kids work their minds.

“I’m very busy. I work a full time job,” says Foli. ” A lot of my friends had to get jobs. They weren’t working before, but they’ve been forced to work because of the economy. Now, they don’t have as much time with kids.”

Home isn’t the only place where there is less attention. It’s also at school. The massive education budget cuts are increasing class sizes and eliminating many school programs like summer school and tutoring.

“Through this program, my sons are getting that one-on-one or three-on-one attention they’re not getting at school,” says Foli.

This program is inside Palm Desert Athletic Club, so between brain exercises, kids can exercise their bodies. Through I Can Learn kids climb to the top and go back to school mentally and physically strong.

For more information onI Can Learn, contact Teresa at icanlearn@dc.rr.comor 760-880-8410. You can also visit her homepage athttp://home.rr.com/icanlearn.