Fifty years ago this spring, rocker Alice Cooper released his not-quite-iconic but nevertheless anthemic song and learn to code for kids, “School’s Out (for summer).” If you’re not hearing its hook in your brain’s ear right now, don’t fret; the title pretty much covers the message. For a generation or more of schoolchildren of a certain age, it was a celebration of release from nine months in classrooms, and a look ahead to a summer of – by Cooper’s telling – being “bored to pieces.” So much has changed since 1972, including the very nature of kids’ summers. A glance around Wichita this week, now that school’s out for the summer, reveals a host of summer opportunities that weren’t necessarily available to Alice Cooper’s then-youthful fans. Get unlimited digital access Subscribe now for just $2 for 2 months. CLAIM OFFER In my work with Wichita Public Schools’ STEALTH program – that stands for science, technology, engineering, art, leadership, tutoring and health – I’m lucky enough to get to spend a fair amount of time in afterschool and summer learning programs, and I can promise you our kids are never bored. During the school year, our afterschool students create culinary masterpieces, build and code robots, engineer solutions to problems and contribute to the betterment of our community through service-learning projects. These opportunities are not only fun – they help to bridge the academic and social gaps that still linger. This summer, we’ve got even more fun learning opportunities on the way. At our summer programs at Adams, Spaght, Washington, White, Anderson and Gordon Parks Academy elementary schools will immerse themselves in hands-on lessons about agriculture, robotics and coding, animals, and the world around them. Field trips will bring the lessons to life, as students experience everything our community has to offer, first-hand. Probably what’s changed the most about kids’ summer programming from when Mr. Cooper was on the pop charts is the educational mission. Today’s top headlines Sign up for Afternoon Headlines and get the day’s biggest stories in your inbox. SIGN UP This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Where summer programs were once either of the summer camp or summer school variety, now our program and other programs across the country work hard to mix learning and fun. As our name suggests, we take a “stealthy” approach to learning. Beyond the academics, we also recognize how important it is for kids to spend this summer engaging with each other, not just sitting at home as Mr. Cooper seemed to anticipate five decades ago. Two years of pandemic-driven restrictions have taken a toll, not just academically, but socially, and this summer is a chance to help kids find their way back to normal. The STEALTH summer program kicks off on June 6, and students are selected based on recommendations from their teachers and principal. So, even if your student isn’t involved in STEALTH, I encourage parents to sign your students up for one of the several other fine programs out there for kids.