With the help of the Partnership for Children's Early Learning Resource Center, the summer Learning Lab at Horne Memorial Church is offering a fun and educational opportunity for kids to strengthen their study skills.

When Cooper Elementary lost funding for summer school this year, families were devastated to find out they would not be offered the same opportunities as in years past. Summer learning plays a crucial role in helping children retain learned knowledge and prepare for the upcoming grade. When the Minister of Children at Horne Memorial Church, Joyce Horn, heard the news she decided to do something she had wanted to do for a long time—sponsor a summer Learning Lab. "Horne Memorial has been wanting to form a partnership with the school for a long time, and this opportunity was a perfect place to start. The staff and administration at Cooper have been extremely supportive of this endeavor. The teachers invited the students who would benefit and provided us with some resources. It has just all come together," said Horn. "We had a couple of retired teachers and educators who could be available during the summer and who were more than willing to help."

Stephanie Souter is one of those teachers. As Media Coordinator for Neuse Charter School and a member of the church, she suggested the Learning Lab team contact the Partnership for Children of Johnston County and utilize the resources of the Early Learning Resource Center. The Early Learning Resource Center offers developmentally appropriate learning kits and materials for children from Birth to Eighth Grade for an affordable yearly membership fee of $20. Souter had found it a great help during the start-up years of Neuse Charter School when resources were few and money was tight. The Early Learning Resource Center, or the "Toy Library" as children call it, has locations in Selma and Clayton and is funded by Smart Start dollars and community donations through the Partnership for Children of Johnston County.

Chris Key, Board Chair of the Partnership says, "This year, when most organizations are experiencing budget cuts, we need collaborations like this. That is one of the main goals of the Partnership for Children, to bring organizations that work with children in Johnston County together to share resources and efforts to maximize the positive impact on our children and families." The Partnership for Children's mission is to improve the health, education, and emotional well-being of Johnston County children.

For more information on the Learning Lab at Horne Memorial Church, contact Joyce Horn at 553-6464. For information about materials available from the Early Learning Resource Center and how you can utilize them this summer to keep your child's mind sharp for school, contact the Partnership for Children at 202-0002 or visit www.pfcjc.org.

Related Links

1. http://www.pfcjc.org