Ronald McDonald Children’s Charity Donates to Local Kids’ College Programs

The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana received a $10,000 donation from Ronald McDonald Children’s Charity (RMCC) of Texarkana on May 17. The funds are given to support the summer Kids’ College programs offered by UAHT. RMCC awards these funds to programs that directly benefit children; have consistent, effective management and clear goals and objectives; and demonstrate the ability to respond to the needs of specific groups of children.

According to a press release, the specific use of the funding will be to provide scholarships for children who cannot afford Kid’s College tuition and to provide the necessary supplies for teachers to offer unique educational experiences.

Celia Montgomery of McDonald’s said, “We are pleased to be able to help with the continued success of Kids’ College through this support. It is great to have programs like Kids’ College available in our community, and we certainly appreciate the opportunity to give back to a community that has been so supportive of our business.”

UAHT offers two summer learning programs for kids. Kids’ College, which is offered on the U of A Hope campus, is a unique educational summer camp for students entering 1^st through 6^th grade. Camp-Save-A-Life, which is offered on both the Hope and Texarkana campuses, is for students who have finished 6^th grade through age 14.

Kids’ College will be held on the Hope campus for 1^st through 4^th grades on June 12-15 and June 19-22 and for 5^th and 6^th grades on June 26-29. This program is meant to introduce children to a college campus and environment while they are young. It is a unique tool used to influence children in a positive and creative way to experience the excitement of learning. “This excitement will carry over and be an anchor for students to grasp during their developmental years, possibly for a lifetime, giving them the confidence to fulfill their educational dreams,” said, Executive Director of the UAHT Foundation. “Kids’ College is unique because it puts together the most creative teachers with very creative students in an exceptional learning environment on a college campus.”

The Kids’ College curriculum will consist of a variety of classes taught by qualified local teachers, including programs in math, nature, art, science, and technology. Courses for 2017 include “Engineering 101,” “DigiKidz Technology,” “Eggcellent Science,” “High Flying Fun,” “Paint Mania,” “Math Masters,” “Junk Drawer Robotics,” “Taste the Rainbow,” and “Write and Illustrate Your Own Book.”

Camp-Save-A-Life will be held on the Hope Campus June 19-23 and on the Texarkana Campus July 31 through August 4. Camp Save-A-Life is an educational summer camp where students become medical “professionals” for a week. The campers are issued scrub tops, clipboards, and their very own picture ID’s. A graduation ceremony will be held at the end of the camp, with each student receiving a diploma and stethoscope to keep. This is the first year for the program to be offered at the U of A Texarkana Campus. Registration is first come, first served and the maximum number of spaces available in each camp is 20 students. “This unique learning environment creates an opportunity for students to develop an interest in possible career goals in the healthcare profession,” said Bobo.

Anna Powell, UAHT Kids’ College Director said, "We are excited about full enrollment for Kids College 2017 and are thrilled about bringing new instructors on board that have a combined experience of over a century of teaching. Also, we will be adding an unforgettable grand finale to the ending of each week."

For more information, contact Anna Powell, Community Education Coordinator, at (870) 722-8102 or anna.powell@uacch.edu.