Jessica Yorama
Daily Egyptian
Tamar Williams and her companion closely study the small print of a schedule posted on the wall Wednesday in Pulliam Hall. After moving her finger down a few columns, Tamar clasps her hands together and gasps.
"We're going to learn about movies today!" she tells her friend, who shares in her excitement.
When John Davis, the head of the program they are attending, passes by, they do not step back or shy away, intimidated by the "authority figure." Instead, they both run up to share the news. Tamar even grabs Davis by both arms.
"John, we're going to learn about movies today!" she exclaims.
At this time during the school year, these girls would probably be running around the playground of their elementary school. However, for the next two weeks, they, along with 200 other children, are at college.
On July 15, 200 children from Alexander, Pulaski, Union, Williamson, Franklin and Jackson counties, not to mention 51 assistants, entered the SIUC campus for Saluki Kids Academy. The program the children have come to attend differs from other summer camps not only in the abundance of participants, but also in the individuals it caters to.
The academy is free to low-income fourth- through sixth-graders at high risk for academic failure. Modeled after a program at Ohio University called "Kids on Campus," it aims to provide recreational and academic enrichment to children who may not receive a sufficient amount otherwise.
After hearing a woman with the program at the retreat, Davis, former school superintendent and current president of the Kids Academy, decided that a similar program should exist in this area. One year later, in May 2001, the proposal for the Saluki Kids Academy was complete.
The proposal was approved, but this was not the last or largest step in getting the program off the ground. In order to begin, Davis and others involved had the task of raising $100,000 in a short period of time.
The academy found its primary collaborator in Shawnee Community College, particularly in president Terry Ludwick and program director Eileen Johnson. But many others, including corporations such as McDonald's, as well as housing districts and educational systems from involved areas, aided in raising the large amount.
The money raised has enabled the children to engage in several recreational activities such as swimming lessons and sports at the Recreation Center. They also attend lectures on architecture and nutrition, hear speeches by Chancellor Walter Wendler and tour the SIUC airport and television studios. They also go on tram tours of the campus.
"We want them to view campus as a place they have friends at so they won't be intimidated in the future," said Keith Hillkirk, dean of the College of Education and Human Services and assistant with the program. "We want to change the children's attitudes and, as a result, people's attitudes about them."
Terry Ludwig, president of Shawnee Community College for the past seven years, hopes to build the same comfort level when participants from the southernmost counties visit his institution next week.
"My hope for the children is to introduce them to new worlds that they may want to pursue," Ludwig said.
Several children expressed excitement in the literacy activity, which gives them the opportunity to perform creative free-writing.
"At first, when my mother told me about the program, I didn't want to go because I thought it would be boring," said 11-year-old Mound City resident Shannon Johnson. "But it's fun; we went to a nutritionist, we wrote a lot and learned to swim."
Many other participants share Shannon's enthusiasm about the swimming lessons, as well as the music and computer classes. But the biggest excitement came when children were given the opportunity to meet Saluki athletes.
"I got an autograph from one of the football players," said 9-year-old Cassiana Harris while clinging to her autographed nametag.
"So did I," chimed in 12-year-old Alicia Minor of Ulmstead as she held out her nametag for everyone to see. Alicia said she particularly enjoys the swimming and literacy program and would recommend it to other children who don't have a lot to do in the summer.
Whether the children's favorite activity pertains to recreation or academics, instructor Katie Castellano of Carbondale sees the program as a phenomenal idea.
"If you look at the education systems, they tend to put the better teachers that inspire kids with the ones who don't need it," Castellano said. "We're trying to inspire these kids so they feel better about themselves and hopefully about school."
Castellano said she wishes every child could receive the opportunity to attend a program like the academy, especially at what she believes to be a very impressionable age.
Sponsors of the program plan to give more children the opportunity to attend the program in the future, hoping to accommodate more children as the years progress. They also hope to eventually make the academy a year-round after-school program as opposed to simply operating during the summer.
According to Hillkirk, academy participants, instructors and sponsors are not the only ones impressed by the program.
"There's a group of college students that play basketball in the gym everyday," Hillkirk said. "We thought they'd be upset when we brought the kids in for lunch, but when they saw what we were doing with the program, they stepped back to help set up."
Instances such as this are examples of the impression Hillkirk and others involved with the Saluki Kids Academy want to leave with the participants.
"Children have a fear of the unknown," Hillkirk said. "We want to open their eyes and help them to realize that SIU is a realistic goal for them and a place they can one day aspire to be."
Reporter Jessica Yorama can be reached at jyorama@dailyegyptian.com.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
