Bama Blitz 2019

Funds would benefit programs that allow our students to work with K-12 schools in after-school programming, including the following:

• Swim to the Top: The goal of Swim to the Top is to provide effective swim instruction during the summer, with the objective of making children between the ages of 4 and 14 proficient survival swimmers.
• Family STEM Night at Woodland Forrest Elementary School: Pre-service teachers develop interactive stations that are conducted during the event. Teachers also create STEM/Science stations.
• Family Literacy Night at Southview Elementary School: University of Alabama pre-service teachers share information regarding famous authors, science fair style and strategies for reading at home. All children in attendance receive a free, age-appropriate book. Families and children also have the opportunity to engage with a green screen and virtual reality goggles to picture themselves in famous literary backgrounds, as well as utilize iPad and Chromebook applications provided by UA’s Innovation Teaching and Technology Lab.
• SERF (Social Emotional Reading Family): A collaboration that provides preschool-age children attending the Tuscaloosa YMCA summer program with targeted social/emotional and literacy programming to boost their skills prior to starting kindergarten.
• Bright Minds Volunteer Reading Program: Pre-service teachers complete practicum placements in local public preschools, elementary schools and community-based childcare programs for children ranging from infancy to third grade. These college students visit classrooms weekly, and in addition to completing course assignments, the pre-service teachers read aloud to whole classes, small groups and individual children with books.