START UNITED aims to get 1,000 kids Ready-to-Go back to school

(logo supplied / United Way of Kosciusko County)

The United Way of Kosciusko County is partnering with Warsaw and Wawasee schools to help give students a boost through the rest of the summer and get them ready for the new school year.

The program is called Start United, a free three week summer experience for kids Kindergarten through sixth grade that will include small class sizes and social-emotional learning. The goal of the social-emotional learning is to build a relationship with students, helping them “cultivate and build resilience through conversations and interactions with others.”

The United Way says community involvement with the program will be a big success factor for the program with their Read United program, where volunteers will share stories through Zoom calls. Another way is the Ready-to-Go bags, where volunteers will help stuff drawstring bags with approximately $25 worth of school supplies, and students will receive the bags during the last week of the program.

For more information, visit www.unitedwaykosciusko.org.