Summer program gets boost from Believe and Achieve Foundation

The West Chester Area School District’s Jump Start summer program is getting a little extra financial boost thanks to the generosity of the Believe and Achieve Foundation.

Representatives from Believe and Achieve recently presented the district with a $10,000 check which will help cover costs associated with the program. The Exton-based foundation provides access to basic needs, making a difference in the lives of children and families. The foundation believes that by satisfying basic needs, children can create their own path toward achievement.

The West Chester Area School District rolled out the Jump Start program in 2014 in a limited capacity but quickly expanded it after recognizing a greater need to provide more opportunities to the students enrolled. The program provides an equitable level of support and services to which English Learner (EL) students would not necessarily have access.

“Jump Start is designed to give our EL students a jump start. It’s literally in the title of the program,” said Steve Werner, West Chester Area School District’s Assistant Director of Pupil Services.

“The program helps students to brush up on academics and close any gaps they may have. It’s also about giving these students experiences that they may not have for a number of different reasons – parents may be working, they might not be able to afford things, or they may not know how to access these things.”

According to Werner, there are 494 EL students enrolled in the West Chester Area School District. Approximately half have enrolled in Jump Start this summer. Werner describes Jump Start as a half academic/half summer camp. Believe and Achieve’s $10,000 gift will help cover the costs of field trips, STEM activities, and summer supplies to make the students’ summer experience a more enjoyable one.

“We want them to have the same level of experience