St. Mark Youth Enrichment reaching out for community support to ‘Fill the Bag’ for students at 30 schools in Greater Dubuque area.

Local agency again aims to fill school bags and deliver ‘peace of mind’to parents in need. With its Dubuque summer program underway, St. Mark Youth Enrichment already has the first day of school on the mind. The organization is preparing for its annual school supply effort to fill school bags with new supplies for students at schools from East Dubuque to Western Dubuque. https://youtu.be/kFLy_BYIWes At a past volunteer stuffing event, Beth McGorry, Director of Donor Relations ask some of our friends what their favorite school supplies are. Fill One School Bag for Just $40 Last year, local community members, volunteers, and businesses helped support approximately 3,500 students. This year, St. Mark is again planning for higher numbers of need as local families continue to recover from lost hours, struggling businesses, and layoffs during the past year. “While the world is starting to return to normal, many of our parents are still struggling,” says Beth McGorry, director of donor relations. “This effort is one of my favorite times of year because it means that our community can help lift a huge weight off of these parents and kids longing for their own sense of normal, that ability to walk in on the first day of school with new school supplies like their peers.” These efforts will impact more than 30 area elementary, middle, and high schools.The organization is partnering with local businesses like Hartig Drug Stores, Steve’s Ace Hardware, Theisen’s Home • Farm • Auto , and others to get supplies at the best value and to make donations go further. “Because of this support, we’re able to fill the bag of one of these students for as little as $40,” adds McGorry. “Just $40 gets a child all the crayons, pencils, notebooks, and more they need for the day. Parents have enough to worry about today, school supplies shouldn’t be one of them. That’s the peace of mind we’re hoping to deliver.” To donate, volunteer, learn more, or start a drive at your business visit www.stmarkyouthenrichment.org, email bmcgorry@stmarkyouthenrichment.org or call 563-582-6211 ext. 102. If you’re in need of school supplies, please reach out to your school’s counselor to be added to the supply list. St. Mark Youth Enrichment (formerly St. Mark Community Center) is a non-profit organization that has served the Dubuque Community for 30 years. St. Mark provides before and after school programming in four of the Title 1 elementary schools in the Dubuque Community School District as well as programs in Dyersville and Peosta. To learn more, visit www.stmarkyouthenrichment.org.

St. Mark Youth Enrichment Bringing Summer Learning to Dyersville & Dubuque

Public Registration Now Open for St. Mark Heroes Summer Academy: Reading Colors Your World St. Mark Youth Enrichment is excited to be working with community partners to bring summer learning opportunities to elementary-aged students in Western Dubuque and Dubuque through the St. Mark Heroes Summer Academy. Public registration is now open and spots are limited. The summer program will be offered for five weeks, beginning June 21 through July 23 with no program on July 5 (Monday). Classes will be held from morning through approximately noon at sites in Dyersville and Dubuque. Students entering grades K-5th in the Fall of 2021 are eligible. The cost for all five weeks of these programs is $375 with limited scholarship opportunities available for families in need. The theme this year is Reading Colors Your World, aligning with the National Collaborative Summer Library Programs. The weekly themes incorporate community service, social and emotional well-being, and health and wellness into St. Mark’s Literacy and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Music) curriculum. The Dubuque program includes breakfast and lunch provided by the Boys and Girls Club. Students will also receive a weekly book and a t-shirt to keep by the end of the program. Based on what has been learned about COVID-19 in the past year, St. Mark plans to stay in-person for the full five weeks of the summer program. If closure is dictated by state and/or local public health officials, St. Mark will transition to a virtual model until it is deemed safe. If a full transition to a virtual model becomes necessary due to COVID-19, families will be reimbursed for the weeks of in-person program missed. New This Year: Project STEAMNew this year in Dubuque is Project STEAM. Open to 3rd through 5th-grade students in Dubuque. This fun mission will have a stronger focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM)–and will have a specialized curriculum and enrichment to dive deeper into the five components of STEAM. Registration for Project STEAM is currently full, however interested applicants may apply for traditional Heroes Summer Academy and request to be added to the waitlist. Full-Day Options: DubuqueFull-day options may be available in Dubuque through our community partners, the Boys & Girls Club & Leisure Services. These services are subject to change based on provider availability. “This program brings so many smiles and joy to our kids and all of us at St. Mark,” said Executive Director Dawn Cogan. “Together, we engage in days filled with fun, learning, friendship, and adventure.” To register or learn more, visit www.stmarkyouthenrichment.org or call: Dubuque Contact: Taylor Noel at 563-258-2110 or tnoel@stmarkyouthenrichment.orgDyersville Contact: Ron Paar at 563-543-5216 or rparr@stmarkyouthenrichment.org # # # St. Mark Youth Enrichment (formerly St. Mark Community Center) is a non-profit organization that has served the Dubuque Community for 30 years. St. Mark provides before and after school programming in four of the Title 1 elementary schools in the Dubuque Community School District as well as programs in Dyersville and Peosta. To learn more, visit https://www.stmarkyouthenrichment.org.