The transition to more formal schooling in kindergarten can be difficult for young children and their families. However, preparing children for this transition can produce positive results. This article examines the qualitative results of a four- to six-week transition program for 715 children. Data include parent and school surveys as well as…

Students were surveyed about a first-year summer reading program (SRP) at Murray State University, a regional, comprehensive university, for five consecutive years. Data are presented on how well the program met five stated goals: (a) providing a common academic experience for incoming first-year students, (b) introducing students to intellectual…

For more than thirty years, personnel from the University of Louisville J.B. Speed School of Engineering have presented a summer program targeting high school students historically underrepresented in engineering fields. INSPIRE provides these students with an introduction to careers in engineering and assists the students in planning their…

The Kentucky Institute for International Studies is a consortium of colleges and universities that provides semester length and short summer semester over-seas study programs. This article traces the growth of the consortium from its roots at Murray State University in 1975 through the celebration of its thirtieth anniversary in 2005. Aspects…

This report describes a summer training institute designed to develop research skills among 30 selected local school district representatives from Kentucky and Appalachia to enable them to serve as research coordinators in their districts. The purpose of the institute was to increase the capability of local school districts to improve their school…

Intended to encourage children of all ages to read over the summer, this manual presents library-based programs, crafts, displays, and events with an Olympic theme. Based on responses to earlier Arizona Reading Programs, this manual includes more preschool materials, age-range suggestions on crafts and programs, and more glossy clip art than…