Today marks the opening of the Covenant Fellowship Church Summer School 2005, which will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on weekdays until July 22.

The program teaches preschoolers to sixth-graders and is designed for students from both Christian and non-Christian backgrounds. Volunteer workers include professionals and college students. The tuition for CFC Summer School is $225, which goes towards snacks, lunch, activities and field trips.

Each grade will be doing a topical study that simulates real-life experiences. The sixth grade program is called “Caravans,” and is a World Geography simulation. Students will learn about different countries, cultures, world religions and discuss current events.

“The goal is not to cram more information into the students, but to teach them how to apply what they’ve already learned,” said sixth grade teacher Eric Sohn.

Students will also get to choose a special class from a broad array of interests, such as a children’s choir, card-making and a chess club. The last week will be a Vacation Bible School week, where the students will learn more about God and the Bible.

Each Friday will be devoted to a field trip, including the zoo. Last summer, one of the field trips included going to visit the Illini Men’s Basketball team, with senior guard Dee Brown hosting the event. Brown and graduate Roger Powell demonstrated some moves, answered questions and signed autographs for the children.

The Summer School started out four years ago when Covenant Fellowship Church created a summer program for the children who attended its Sunday School. The Sunday School kids started to spread the word, and many of their friends started to sign up as well. Though it started out with less than 50 participants, the school has now grown to about 150 students, and each year has had to turn away students because of unavailable space.

Hae-yeon Yoon, whose son Jeremy will attend CFC Summer School for the third time, is very enthusiastic about the program and has even encouraged her friends to enroll their children.

“I think that the summer school is very inspirational to our kids. There’s also a Vacation Bible School week at the end. They don’t even charge us a lot, just the minimum,” Yoon said.

Director Haeny Yoon agreed.

“The program allows the kids to interact with Christian teachers and staff, be directly involved in worship and prayer, develop friendships with other kids in the community, as well as be enriched in their learning experience. It is the staff, however, that reaps the greatest benefits through interacting with the students.”