With all the fun of summer, it’s easy for kids to lose ground in their studies, and for some of them, that’s an especially dangerous problem.

But a group of Forest Glen Middle School teachers, funded by Sylvia Copeland-Murphy of SCM Vision, is working to make sure that at least 20 of their students come back to school with even better reading skills than they had when they left school in June.

The participants in “Wildcat University” were chosen because their Standards of Learning scores showed that they needed extra help with reading. When the teachers learned that Copeland-Murphy would be unable to hold her annual summer camp at Oak Grove Baptist Church this year, they asked for help with this new program, which is held at Morgan Memorial Library.

“We needed to do something different,” FGMS English teacher Natalie Rotzler told Suffolk News-Herald writer Alex Perry this week. Thus was born the seven-week program that gives students small-group attention and the opportunity to improve their reading skills with a variety of techniques that aren’t always available in the traditional classroom setting.

SCM Vision is also planning a “Hampton Roads Youth Got Talent” program Aug. 15 for children ages 7 to 18 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. The participants in Wildcat University may enjoy that show as part of the program.

It is always good to see folks take an active role in mentoring and growing the next generation, and Copeland-Murphy sets a great example for others in Suffolk wondering how they can make a difference in young peoples’ lives. We thank her and the teachers who have committed to this program for their commitment to the task.