Lauralton program creates happy campers

Posted by: Debbie Bowley on Thu, 02 August 2007 15:46:28

By Bill McDonald, June 30, 2007
©2007CONNECTICUT POST (Used with permission)

MILFORD -- Jasmyne Fogle, a sixth-grader at St. Peter's School in Bridgeport, would like to attend Lauralton Hall when she reaches ninth grade. 

For that matter, so would classmate Cinquest Jackson as well as two sisters who attend Bridgeport's Beardsley School, Beudeline and Chabely Acosta.

They're among 47 sent by their schools to see what it's like for two weeks at the private school for girls at 200 High St., also known as Academy of Our Lady of Mercy at Lauralton Hall.

"My school chose me and I wanted to come," said Fogle, who said she is an honors student as well as second high scorer on her school basketball team. "I'm thinking of coming to high school here. I heard about the camp and thought it would be nice to come and see it. I like the math and arts classes here, and everyone's very nice."

Peggy McGowan, the Lauralton physical education teacher and track coach, is principal of the Lauralton Hall Summer Academy, a four-year-old program for inner-city sixth- and seventh-grade girls.

This year's program started Monday and ends next Friday, running weekdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Four schools send their students: St. Raphael, St. Peter and Beardsley, all in Bridgeport, and St. Martin de Porres in New Haven. All students have transportation and tuition paid for by grants acquired by Lauralton Hall.

"We call this a successful program because the kids stay," said McGowan. "We start with 47, and we end with 47."

"We have 22 school volunteer students from Lauralton, so the ratio is pretty close. You see a lot of one-on-one," McGowan said. "By the end of the first week, many have gotten pretty close, exchanging e-mails and instant messages on their computers."

"Ideally, the girls are enriched through math, reading, writing and art classes, and some end up as Lauralton students, which is our hope," McGowan said. "If we get one or two girls per summer from this program, that would be doing well. They have their tuition paid through scholarships."

Emily Nichols, 15, of Milford, going into her sophomore year at Lauralton, is enjoying her two weeks as a teacher's aide and peer mentor.

"I want to be a teacher," Nichols said. "This has provided me with the most perfect idea of the type of person I want to be when I'm teaching. I love working with these girls and building relationships."

The Acosta sisters, also honors students, are enjoying their time on the Lauralton campus.

"There are great helpers here," said Beaudeline, who will enter sixth grade in the fall. "It helps you learn more for next year. I like the math best here, but I also like the way we're learning how to write."

Chabely, entering seventh grade, would like to attend an all-girls school so as not to be distracted by boys. She likes the care expressed by Lauralton's teachers and student helpers.

"If you have a problem, they really help you," she said of the student volunteers. "The teachers always take their time explaining something if you don't understand."