♪ >> It's known as the summer slide learning loss that students can experience one out of school for the summer.

But for the past 5 years, a program through Jefferson County, Public Schools known as the summer Backpack League, it's been working not only to help students avoid the slide but to climb higher academically.

Tonight we explore all of that and why education matters.

>> The backpack to a supplementary enrichment learning program.

It's the largest summer learning program in our district.

>> And we teaching students in literacy and math and enrichment and leadership skills and all sorts of other learning activities.

We are hosting 350 plus students in the JCPS Backpack League program here at with Elementary.

We are hosting incoming first their incoming 5th graders as an elementary site.

And we also have middle schoolers attending middle school sites.

Those will be for incoming grades 6 through 8.

Our students are engaged in structured learning activities, but a little different than the regular school year.

So students instruction in literacy and math, but also a plethora of enrichment activities.

All students will receive the chorus truck shun in literacy and math from our partners at Scholastic.

And it's called Scholastic Scholars owned.

We have a partnership with the Speed Art Museum.

They are visiting each of our JCPS Elementary school site.

>> We're just I'm driving around those.

robots.

And I'm just testing how they work and stuff.

>> This is our special area for the yesterday.

We didn't Legos.

you know, we built houses are stuff are something that we want to build.

Kids are here to have.

>> Fun and learn at the same time.

So our students are here because they want to be here, will also gain social skills as they interact with their peers.

>> I made a lot of friends and clash is really nice.

And of my teacher, Mister Pierce.

He's really nice to study after study indicates that engagement and learning activities during during the summer months will prevent that summer slide and improve academic learning outcomes during the regular school year.

>> And that's what we're here for.

We want to give our students that advantage when they return in the fall, they're ready for the new Year and we will see academic gains from our student.

>> I'm not going to forget a lot of things because like most people they forget a bunch of things.

When they go back to school.

But I feel like when I do this, I'm not going I'm not gonna forget a lot of things.

I want to get a little bit but not too much.

>> We do outcomes that increase student learning in reading and math.

And we measure that using the map test that the students are already taking.

So we student progress that way.

It's our students who come an advantage in attendance in the upcoming year.

They're more engaged and they stronger learning outcomes in reading and math.

We want to take advantage of every learning opportunity.

We want to take advantage of every minute possible that we can to increase learning.

>> Jefferson County Public Schools says more than 6500 students are enrolled in the