Back in the Water!

After a few weeks off to mend from an injury, today I'm back in the pool, figuratively.
 I visited a very special place, the Children's Fresh Air Farm. IPC's  STAIR of Birmingham graduates, grades 2-5, gather there for our Summer Learning Program. It's academics, and so much more. This special program bridges the summer gap when so many students lose ground during the summer. They get two hot meals, study hard on math and reading in the morning with certified teachers, and in the afternoons swim, have art and so many other wonderful activities. My church, Independent Presbyterian Church sponsors, and I"m just happy to be along to photograph the fun!

Waiting...

Patient swimmers at Independent Presbyterian's Summer Learning Program. They spend 6 weeks at the Children's Fresh Air Farm in Bluff Park with academics in the morning and all kinds of wonderful enrichment activities in the afternoon. Swimming classes are a big favorite.

Ready and Waiting!

 Swimsuits in the locker room at the Children's Fresh Air Farm awaiting happy swimmers. Each summer Independent Presbyterian Church's Summer Learning Program offers 6 weeks of academic instruction along with a healthy dose of enrichment and FUN for STAIR students. These STAIR students who have completed grades 2,3, and 4 love their time at the farm. Not only are they having fun, they are keeping up those academic skills over the summer.

Weather permitting, I plan to drive up there this week for more photos.

Cool In The Pool

Yesterday I took a little trip to Bluff Park to visit Independent Presbyterian Church's Children's Fresh Air Farm.  I skidded in on the last full day of the six week Summer Learning Program.  Three classes of    graduates from our STAIR reading program have the privilege of attending each summer. They have reading and math in the mornings with experienced teachers and the afternoons include chapel, swimming and wonderful enrichment activities.  Some of these inner city kiddos swam for the first time this summer. Rumor has it that NOBODY wants the SLP to end. Who can blame them!

Everybody in the Pool III - SPLASH!!!

Today the last of the series, Everybody in the Pool.  If you are just joining us,  drop down to Wednesday's post to get the scoop.  As you can see, the happy campers FINALLY got to practice their new swimming skills. Ahhhhh!

My sincere thanks to the Summer Learning Program's amazing Director Gini Williams and her wonderful staff for allowing me to photograph these precious children again this summer.

Everybody in the Pool II - Learning the Strokes

After suiting up, these campers learn how to do the strokes that will help them be better swimmers. This day,  it was so hot and humid,  I almost threw my camera aside and jumped in with them!

Today the second in my series from the Summer Learning Program at the Children's Fresh Air Farm. More tomorrow.  Read about the great article that the B'ham News featured recently here.

Everybody in the Pool - Get Your Suit On

I've been doing this blog for 37 months now and never done a series.  Well I'm always trying to keep things fresh and interesting around here and yesterday, I read to the terrific kiddos at IPC's Summer Learning Program held again this year at the Children's Fresh Air Farm in Bluff Park.  Besides getting to read some of my favorite books each week, I get to roam around with my camera. Finally, the afternoon rains have subsided,  so I was able to visit an enthusiastic group at the pool yesterday, learning to swim.  This series will continue for a few days.  I loved so many photos I couldn't choose just one,  so I hope you will enjoy them all.

Everybody In The Pool!

The Children's Fresh Air Farm is the site of Independent Presbyterian Church's summer program for inner city scholars. B.E.L.L. ( Building Educated Leaders for Life) is a new program that hosts 30+ happy campers ( second graders from the STAIR program) that have the privilege of spending the morning honing their math and reading skills, and then in the afternoon, they have an abundance of enrichment activities. I had the pleasure of photographing the fun yesterday. As you can imagine, I have a wealth of photos. Today...swimming lessons!