Minneapolis Students Flock To Classrooms On Spring Break
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- While most kids are on Spring Break having fun in the sun, some are spending their days in a classroom.
More than 4,000 Minneapolis Public School students opted to spend their time off attending "Spring Break Academy," a week-long adventure hosted at more than two dozen schools.
Classrooms inside Keeywadin School were full of excited sixth and seventh graders this week. About 120 students began the week, and the numbers swelled to 140.
Keeywadin's Spring Break Academy is focused on curiosity and design, activities centered around careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
"This kind of gives them a chance to stay engaged with their academics but also have fun while they are doing it," said Jenny Delaney with Minneapolis Public Schools.
From bridge building to robotics, these youngsters learned by doing. Each student was allowed to pick three classes that interest them.
Not only is it helping them academically, for some, time in the classroom beats the alternative. Not only does Spring Break Academy keep kids focused on school work, it helps them deal with the other issues in their lives.
"They don't get as much food as they would normally get during the school day. They don't get as much activity," Minneapolis Public Schools' Delon Smith said. "So this really gives the kids a chance to have some consistency, which we know is really important for kids, and to have some fun during a time that might not be as fun for some kids."
Teachers say once the week is over, these students will take what they learned here back into their regular classrooms.
This is the second year Minneapolis schools have sponsored the Spring Break Academy, which is open to students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Transportation, breakfast and lunch are provided at no extra cost to parents.
The district hopes to expand the academy in coming years.