Learning is Fun at the Cook Library Center

Sometimes kids forget how fun learning can be, but when they head over to the Cook Library Center after school they are quickly reminded. The weather is getting warmer and we all know how hard it can be to buckle down on homework when the sun is shining, but the dedicated volunteers from Calvin College and Aquinas College make it easy to come in and continue learning. With the one-on-one help and attention that kids need, they are always able to complete their homework and then move on to the next step of the Cook Library Center's after school regimen.

Students who are regulars at the Cook Library Center know the regimen well: finish your homework with a tutor, read for 20 minutes, play a game, and then, if there's still time, you can play academic games on the computer. These "rules" might seem a little strict, but once kids walk in the door, they know their goals and they are ready to accomplish them! Getting help with homework and being able to use the computers provides enough encouragement and motivation for most students to complete all the steps with no problem.

Once students are on the computers, they hop onto websites like starfall.com, multiplication.com and freetypinggames.net, where kids forget that they're learning as they play. Above, Maynor practices his reading skills on starfall.com and below, another group of students shares use of the computers to practice typing and multiplication tables.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.