TEACH Foundation donates nearly $30,000 to DCSD summer reading program
Sharman Poplava, executive director of the TEACH Foundation, left, presents a ceremonial check for $28,600 to Darlington County School District Superintendent Dr. Eddie Ingram, right, Assistant Superintendent Carlita Davis and ELA and Social Studies Coordinator Matthew Ferguson. The TEACH Foundation donated to the Darlington County School District Summer Reading Camp for the third year in a row.
The TEACH Foundation continued its substantial financial support of the Darlington County School District’s Summer Reading Camp recently with a $28,600 donation.
The donation marked the third consecutive year the TEACH Foundation supported the program, which began this year on June 6 and will run for six weeks at Thornwell School for the Arts.
Matthew Ferguson, English/language arts and social studies coordinator for the Darlington County School District, said the donation is vital to the summer reading program’s success.
“The TEACH Foundation has been an indispensable partner in expanding Darlington County School District’s Summer Reading Camp,” Ferguson said. “All students who participate in this summer opportunity experience gains in reading. Many even enter the next academic year reading on grade-level. Our partnership with the TEACH Foundation has made great strides in placing these students on the path of career and college readiness.”
The summer reading camp, this year following along with the Darlington County Library System’s theme of “Ready, Set, Read,” provides extensive instructional time for young students who were reading below grade level at the end of the school year.
Sharman Poplava, executive director for the TEACH Foundation, said the foundation is thankful young students have the opportunity to attend the summer reading camp.
“Students who make achievement gains during the school year often experience loss in achievement over the summer,” Poplava said. “Research shows that young children can lose up to two to three months of reading ability over a summer break. The TEACH Foundation commends the Darlington County School District for making this camp available to our children.”
The TEACH Foundation is the nonprofit administrative arm for PULSE, a comprehensive scholastic excellence program that expands curriculum opportunities to further improve student achievement in Hartsville public schools. The initiative involves a collaboration between Coker College, Darlington County School District, the S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics and Sonoco, the latter of which funded the initiative through a $5 million grant. For more information about the TEACH Foundation, please visit www.teachfoundation.org.
For more information about academic programs in the Darlington County School District, please visit www.darlington.k12.sc.us.
