NEW CUMBERLAND — Energy Express is returning to Hancock County for the ninth year.

The program will begin June 19 with up to 40 students participating at A.T. Allison Elementary School in Chester and another 48 students participating at Weirton Elementary School.

Applications for participants — children who completed grades K-5 during the current school year — are now being accepted. Applications may be downloaded from http://hancock.ext.wvu.edu/forms or by calling 304-564-3805.

Originally created to combat the “summer slide” (the tendency for students to lose some of the achievement gains they made during the previous school year), organizers say Energy Express does far more.

According to John Lyonett, interim director of the program, students show an average of two to four months of academic growth after participating.

“Children enjoy Energy Express because they are involved in bringing books to life through reading, writing, art, and drama activities,” says Carole Scheerbaum, WVU extension agent. “Working in a small group, of up to eight children, participants work as a team alongside an AmeriCorps member serving as their mentor. They are actively engaged in reading-related activities throughout the day.

“Along with these activities, children also participate in recreational activities and are served breakfast and lunch. To make the week more special, each child receives a book to take home for their own personal library.”

The National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University named the Energy Express program one of the nation’s best summer learning programs in 2009.

Energy Express is made possible through collaboration of WVU Extension Service, AmeriCorps, West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, and the West Virginia Department of Education – Office of Child Nutrition.

“Because of the support of many state-level partnerships, WVU Extension is able to provide 70 percent of the funding required for the Energy Express,” a release reads.

Locally, the Hancock County Energy Express Collaborative works to provide the remaining 30 percent of funding for the program.

“We have received generous funding and support through the Weirton United Way, Hancock County Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, and many local churches, teaching organizations, businesses, and individuals,” say organizers. “We are grateful that the Hancock County Board of Education assists with the program by providing the space for Energy Express and custodial services as in-kind resources to the program. Other partners include CHANGE Inc., our summer foods program sponsor, and the Weirton Christian Center.

A Site Supervisor works with a team of AmeriCorps members each summer to implement Energy Express. AmeriCorps members serve in two ways — as mentors and as community coordinators.

Mentors are AmeriCorps members who are either college or college-bound students who work with small groups of children and “create a safe, environmentally rich atmosphere focusing on reading, writing, art and drama.”

AmeriCorps members also serve as community coordinators –working with volunteers and promoting efforts within the community.

“The importance of community involvement and volunteers to the success of Energy Express cannot be overstated,” a release states. “Our adult and youth volunteers provide invaluable service by providing 1-on-1 reading with children in the classroom, assisting children with writing or art projects, helping teachers with supervising outdoor activities, and assisting with meal service, and sorting supplies and books.

“They provide many services, and with their help, our program is successful. We can never have too many volunteers! Volunteers are those from the young (entering seventh grade in the fall) to the young at heart.”

Those interested in volunteering are asked to contact the WVU Hancock County Extension office at 304-564-3805.