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Asbell Elementary awarded $200,000 21st Century grant for 'The Nest' summer learning program
Summary
Asbell Elementary received a renewable $200,000 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant to run a summer enrichment program for third- and fourth-graders, including transportation, breakfast/lunch, weekly Arkansas-themed field trips and daily academic blocks.
District administrators announced April 24 that Asbell Elementary School has been awarded a renewable 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant of $200,000 to establish a summer and after-school enrichment program the school is calling "The Nest."
The grant will fund a July 2025 summer learning lab focused on third- and fourth-graders in Asbell. Administration said the initial plan is to serve 40 students (20 third-graders and 20 fourth-graders) with a schedule of Monday–Wednesday sessions that run approximately 8 a.m. to noon and an extended field-trip day on Thursdays from about 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The district said it will provide daily breakfast and lunch and will arrange transportation for participants.
School and district presenters described the program as a holistic, research-based enrichment experience that combines literacy and math blocks, Arkansas-focused science and social studies modules, physical activity and creative arts, plus a structured social-emotional learning component. The program’s Thursday field trips will visit regional institutions and landmarks; presenters named partners including the Scott Family Amazeum, Crystal Bridges Museum, Walton Arts Center, the Botanical Garden, Fayetteville Public Library, War Eagle Cavern and the Community Creative Center.
District staff said the Asbell student population the grant targets has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and that the program is explicitly intended to provide cultural and educational experiences that some participating children otherwise would not access. Administrators said the grant is renewable; they discussed applying again to extend the program beyond the initial year.
District officials asked parents to complete a form to enroll children; administration said initial enrollment had begun and that the program leadership would include a local administrator (Jamie Burke) and additional staff. The board received the report as informational; no vote was required for the grant announcement.
