[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/WaC3IwarHgQ” height=”340″]

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Energy Express is an award-winning summer reading and nutrition program for children living in West Virginia’s low-income communities.

With the program, more than 3,000 children statewide gain or maintain reading levels during summer months through creative uses of art, drama and vocabulary. Energy Express provides children with two meals each day, helping to ensure students are fed even after the school year comes to an end.

“It supports the summer slide that they talk about, where kids go from one school year to another school year with a gap in the middle,” said Energy Express Site Supervisor Deidre Marshall.

Energy Express has provided around 50 jobs in Mingo County this summer for cooks, custodians, teachers and college students.

There are four site locations throughout the county … Dingess Elementary School, Matewan PK-8, Williamson PK-8 and the Larry Joe Harless Community Center in Gilbert.

“Our volunteer hours in Mingo County are tremendous,” added WVU Extension Service Associate Professor Mark Whitt. “I have to brag this year. We’ve exceeded all expectations on enrollment. We’re at capacity at all of our sites.”

Anyone 18 or under is welcome to breakfast and lunch. The learning program is offered to any elementary school student. 

“This is all non-competitive,” added Marshall. “Through our recreation, through our reading and writing … we don’t want the kids to feel like they’re singled out because they’re either good or bad or anything like that. Everybody is always improving and that’s what we focus on during this program.”

For more information, transportation or to sign someone up for the program, contact the WVU Extension Service or a site location.

“I would just like to thank everybody working to benefit our kids,” said Whitt.

Mingo County’s Energy Express will last until July 20th.