GPS Offers Month-Long Lighthouse Scholars Community Academic Camp

Say goodbye to the summer slide! Throughout the month of June, GPS played host to 13 middle school students from area public, independent, and magnet schools for an all-girls academic program designed to combat that all-too-common academic lag. 

Students met at GPS for fun and function, learning everything from yoga to science while also visiting community hotspots such as the IMAX Theatre, Urban Air Trips, Coolidge Park, and the Avondale Library for experiential learning.

Ayana Gustus, a sixth-grade social studies teacher and cheerleading coach from Tyner Middle Academy served as lead teacher for the program, with lessons for students on science, literacy, math, and history. Lauren Lawrence Swanson ’09, GPS Director of Belonging & Community Engagement, and Chausie Neal, Family & Community Engagement Specialist at The Howard School, provided aid. 

Called Lighthouse Scholars, the academic camp was the first of its kind for girls in Chattanooga and was a collaboration between GPS and The Lighthouse Collective, a mentoring and life-skills program in the community for boys. Lighthouse Collective funded the camp and advertised, and GPS provided lunch, bus services, and facilities, and teachers Diane Yu and Will Glass volunteered their time.

Lauren said about the program, “Lighthouse Scholars was another opportunity for GPS to engage with the broader Chattanooga community. Our Head of School, Megan Cover, has made a commitment to making our school community more welcoming and inviting to everyone, and this camp was an exciting example of that.” 

Participating students had the opportunity to experience new things, meet girls in their community, and continue their learning from the previous school year. “As the Director of Belonging and Community Engagement,” Lauren continued, “it’s my mission to not only engage GPS girls but engage all girls and help them understand the benefits of being around other young ladies and lifting them up in a positive way. This camp showcased that, no matter what school you come from, we can all partner together to help each other achieve success.”