People who thought that the halls of Sister Lakes Elementary school would remain quiet during the summer break should think again.

The excited shouts of children could be heard throughout the building Monday as this season’s latest batch of summer school students tried their hand at yet another fun group activity that afternoon.

Working in small groups, the 20 children packed inside the library worked to stack balloons on top of each other with duck tape, in an attempt to build the largest possible tower that could remain upright. Eventually, many of the groups decided to combine forces with one another to build a massive balloon structure that nearly reached the top of the library’s ceiling.

For instructors Shannon Hatch and Gail Gersonde, these types of fun, yet educational, exercises are the way they are engaging students to continue to invest in learning during the long summer break.

“We want to give children some incentive to come by offering them things to do that are fun and memorable,” Hatch said. “Summer school should not just be something they feel like they have to do to brush up on their reading and math skills.”

This week marks the last week of the Sister Lakes Summer school program, which has taken place the last three weeks at the local elementary school. The program brings together children ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade, Hatch said.

As with previous years the program is meant to reinforce reading, mathematics and computer skills with local children during the long layover between the end of the spring semester and beginning of fall, Hatch said.

In comparison to the usual classroom instruction students receive throughout the school year, Hatch and Gersonde instead focus on interactive educational, offering tons of activities and games that give children a chance to let loose while still keeping their minds sharp during the summer season. Some of these activities include flash card math games, speed stacking cups, craft making and more, Hatch said.

In spite of things like Fitch Camp and other summer programs vying for local children’s attentions, this year’s program has still managed to draw in about 20 children every session, Hatch said.

“We told the children at the outset they should come whenever they can, and we have had a pretty steady turnout every day,” she said.

This year, Hatch has tried to get children more invested in lessons pertaining in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), which is becoming a larger part of the regular curriculum as well.

Some of the children who participated in Monday’s session gave their own testimonials for the summer program.

“I really liked coming this year, just because I got to make some new friends,” said Charlie Brown, who begins sixth grade in the fall.

“I got to learn a bunch of new stuff, and I got to see my friends who I usually don’t see until school starts again,” said Janet Jackson, who starts fifth grade in September.