Fort Worth elementary school students are spending part of the summer on the Texas Wesleyan University campus, getting invaluable tutoring in reading and writing.

The ELITE (Excellent Literacy Instruction to Empower) Institute is a partnership between Fort Worth ISD, Texas Wesleyan and after-school program advocate SPARC (Strengthen After-School Programs through Advocacy, Resources and Collaboration). The program helps students avoid what is called the “summer slide,” where they can potentially lose some of their reading skills during the summer months.

"These summer months are when kids can slide,” Tobi Jackson, Fort Worth ISD school Trustee, told Fox 4. “And 80 plus percent of kids last year in this program, the ELITE Institute didn't slide. This year, our goal is a hundred percent." 

Last year, Lisa Dryden, Ph.D. and Elsa Anderson, Ph.D. were honored with the Quest for Quality Award: Exemplary School Partnership in recognition of their work in developing the institute. They collaborated with Alice Puente, Texas Wesleyan University Trustee and SPARC to develop what became the ELITE Institute. 

Watch the full story from Fox 4 above.