SAFE BASE supporters can breathe a sigh of relief. The 15 year old program will have a summer program for 2016.
Angela Henry, SAFE BASE director, said the program received a $75,000 grant which will fund a full four week summer program in 2016. Henry applied for the Kansas State Department of Education 21st Century Learning Center grant earlier this year and recently found out the good news.
SAFE BASE is one of four programs in the state to get the full $75,000. After a cut in grant funding for the 2014-15 school year the program was forced to cut the 2015 summer program.
“In the 15 years we’ve had SAFE BASE we haven’t had a summer program twice,” Henry said. “And one of those years was the first one and we weren’t suppose to have one.”
In the past students have taken field trips to places like the Kansas Cosmosphere and hosted classes on science and other subjects. The most notable field trip was in 2013, when the program received a $100,000 grant and students traveled on a camping trip to Colorado.
“I am so glad we will have the program next year,” Henry said. “It’s a great thing for the kids.”
Henry said many parents take vacation time to travel on the field trips with their children and help supervise. In the past, some fathers would get off working the night shift, go on the trip, help with the trip, sleep on the bus ride home and go right back to work.
“It’s such a great opportunity for not only the kids but their families,” Henry said.
There will be a camping trip for the 2016 summer. The leaders of the organization always ask the kids for their input on where to travel.
“We always have to remind the kids that Hawaii isn’t an option,” Henry said with a laugh.
SAFE BASE is expecting 175 kids, kindergarten through eighth grade next year.
The SAFE BASE office will relocate to Jefferson Elementary School this fall as part of the attendance center transition.
SAFE BASE summer program returns for 2016
