CASSOPOLIS — Walking into the children’s section of a public library, Vandalia resident Amber Grundy takes in the bright colors of the decor and the books surrounding her.

“I spend a lot of time here because of my kids,” she said. “I really like it. It’s a great place for kids to learn, and they like it, too.”

It’s fitting that Grundy feels in place at center for children’s learning as her job involves teaching children. Though she has been doing so elsewhere, Grundy will now be taking her work to Cassopolis Public Schools.

On Jan. 8, Grundy launched a new afterschool program called Camp Fire After School at Sam Adams Elementary. The program, which runs after school daily from 3 to 6 p.m. at the school, is open to all Sam Adams students.

The cost is $9 per child per day the child stays after school. For unscheduled drop-in days, the cost is $12 per day per child. There is also a $25 annual registration fee; any child taking part in Camp Fire After School must be registered.

Part of a national program, Camp Fire After School is geared toward hands-on learning and self-discovery. Each day of the week has a different focus, ranging from a science and technology focus to health and wellness to outdoor learning. During the afterschool program, children will receive snacks, help with their homework and a designated activity.

“We give kids an outlet to have a say in things. We don’t just want adults telling them what to do,” Grundy, the executive director of the local chapter of Camp Fire, said. “The goal is to have kids discover what they are passionate about, so our leaders are really there to facilitate and not direct. We want to help kids identify what they like, so they can be more excited about learning.”

The program works to bring children into learning through fun, Grundy said.

Last semester, Camp Fire started the same program at Good Shepherd Montessori School in South Bend. Grundy said that children at the South Bend school have been enjoying the program, and that having the experience of that program, staff have worked out a few kinks for the Cassopolis program.

“There have been things where we’ve said, ‘this isn’t working,’” Grundy said. “We’ve reworked a few things to create a more kid-friendly curriculum.”

A Cassopolis native and former Cassopolis Public Schools student herself, Grundy said that she is excited to bring the program to Sam Adams and provide a service to the people of Cassopolis.

“My kids are in grade school, and as a parent, it’s really hard for me to be there right at 3 p.m.,” Grundy said. “We took a look at the schools in our area, and realized that a lot of kids [in Cassopolis] don’t have anywhere to go after school, and there aren’t really any afterschool programs in area, so we wanted to create a place where parents could feel safe sending their kids after school, rather than having them go home by themselves or asking a sibling or someone to take care of them every day.”

Should both the Cassopolis and South Bend afterschool programs continue to prove successful, Grundy hopes to expand Camp Fire After School to more schools in the area.

“This is a great program and one I believe in,” Grundy said. “I’d love to see it grow.”

To register for the program, call Grundy at (574) 387-6095 or register online at tannadoonah.org/after-school.