This week, Purpose of God Annex started its 2016 Summer Program to help at-risk youth stay engaged in a structured environment, packed full of educational instruction and fun.

The program has proved in past years to help young people not only stay out of trouble and off the streets, but also work on problem issues such as behavior, focus, concentration and educational comprehension. It has also benefitted participants by helping them achieve higher grades and better social skills.

Founder and president Bishop Samuel Jones uses the program to help turn things around for children who are lacking in a specific area, and also provides a 10-week program full of fun and interesting activities. Some of the things participants are immersed in include: STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) activities, ranging from science experiments to using microscopes to explore organisms not visible to the naked eye; educational field trips, which include a range of excursions slated for each week of the program; instruction on how to garden, bake, sew, build birdhouses and make pottery, among other things; Bible classes that teach youth the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and well-known Bible stories; and reading and spelling classes, allowing children to increase proficiency before their return to school in fall.

The program ultimately gives parents a safe, structured environment for their children during summer break and offers children a summer filled with fun, free of trouble and full of educational trips, activities and programming. Its structured nature allows children to stay academically alert and engaged, as well as socially involved with their peers.

The program costs $37.50 per week for each child and includes breakfast and lunch, as part of Beaufort County Schools Summer Feeding Program.

If a child is lacking in their academics, social interaction, behavior or if a child needs an environment that will help them stay out of trouble, this program may just be a good fit. And it’s a great way to spend the summer.