Friday was a special day at Westmount Park School where a two-week summer school and camp program for inner-city children wrapped up its first year.
Bouncing Boys Back to Books combines basketball and reading, and students have made tremendous improvements.
Teachers, parents and the kids themselves agree that the program has been a great help to the inner-city children from Little Burgundy and St. Henri, where many boys in particular tend to struggle in school and drop out.
Reach 'em early
Early intervention is seen as the key to helping them succeed. Participants wrote their own mystery novels during this session and some of the children read their stories to their parents on Friday.
They also told CTV News about their improved reading skills.
"I can read more now," said one boy.
"I practiced words so now I know more words and I can read them louder so everybody can comprehend what I say."
Another boy said: "I learned how to read smoothly, because I used to read like a robot."
Life skills
Organizers of Bouncing Boys Back to Books fully expect that the children will do better in school this year and better in life in general.
It's hoped the program will continue next summer, but that depends on continued funding from Quebec's education department.
