Sparking Curiosity: How LC Students Are Staying Sharp This Summer

While summer break often brings images of pool days and popsicles, in LaRue County, it’s also a season of imagination, discovery, and academic momentum. Thanks to two long-standing LC programs—Quest Camp and Summer Cool School—local students are staying mentally engaged long after the final school bell rings.

Designed for students in grades K-5, these programs offer more than just something to do. They provide a space for kids to explore interests, build new skills, and stay ahead of the curve.

“Quest Camp provides an opportunity for students to conduct exploratory learning in their chosen areas of interest,” said Natalie Detre, Resource Teacher. “When students are focusing on learning that is interesting to them, they develop a more robust skill set and application around how they learn. This transitions into the student’s becoming a more resilient learner.”

Resilient, indeed. These programs aren’t just keeping students busy—they’re building learners who are prepared to tackle the next school year with confidence and curiosity.

While Quest Camp leans into student-driven, interest-based learning, Summer Cool School creates space for fun, structured educational opportunities—designed to make learning feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.

“The purpose of Summer Cool School is to allow all students in kindergarten - 5th grade an opportunity to attend a summer camp,” said Ellen Shelton, FRC Coordinator. “Summer Cool School provides fun educational activities for all elementary-age students and scholarships can be provided, upon family request.”

These efforts are also helping to combat the well-known issue of summer learning loss—the academic dip that can happen when students step away from structured learning for too long. Both Quest Camp and Summer Cool School are designed to bridge that gap, proving that summer learning doesn’t have to feel like summer school.

“Sometimes students see the school year just as rote memorization and superficial tasks,” said Detre. “At Quest Camp we try to expose students to take a deep dive in hands-on exploratory learning that sparks a passion for their interests with the hope that this spark carries over into the next school year. The overarching goal is for students to become self-sufficient learners and practical problem solvers.”

That spark doesn’t have to fade once camp ends. Both Detre and Shelton encourage families to take advantage of the many resources available across the county—from the LaRue County Public Library to programs at the Extension Office.

“Students can benefit socially and academically from being involved in summer learning opportunities,” Shelton added.

Whether it’s through robotics or reading, teamwork or tinkering, these programs are helping LaRue County’s youngest learners stay sharp, stay engaged, and most importantly—stay excited about learning, year-round.