Haywood County’s State Senator Delores Gresham (left) visited Krista Brown’s Summer Express classroom on Monday, June 13, to talk with students about Tennessee. Students learned about their state in the “Tennessee for Me” class. Also pictured is Summer Express Assistant Director Drayton Hawkins.

On an invitation from Haywood County School teacher Krista Brown, Senator Delores Gresham came to Brownsville Monday, June 13, to visit with a classroom in the Haywood County Schools Summer Express program. Among the program’s 19 offerings, Krista Brown is teaching the class “Tennessee for Me,” and Senator Gresham’s staff provided for the students the “Tennessee State Senate 107th General Assembly Student Activity Book.” This book includes a map, a list of the senators, a page on how a bill becomes a law, a word search, a crossword puzzle, a quiz on the state symbols, state trivia and a coloring page of the state symbols.

Senator Gresham spoke to each class when she visited, and said her most important message to the students was that she is a public servant. She said she also believes it is so important to teach the state’s students about Tennessee.

There are 19 classes in the program that is offering students the opportunity to “express themselves through creative activities.” In addition to the Tennessee class, other classes include physical education, reading, writing, science, math, art, technology, games, Spanish, a video class, Native American Study, health, S.T.O.M.P. and Junior Achievement. Under the direction of Suzanne Wallace, with the assistance of Drayton Hawkins, the summer school full of enrichment classes at East Side Elementary is in its second year of a three-year more than $1 million grant of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program funds. The almost 200 students participating in the Summer Express program are in grades 2 through 6.

“We are enjoying another good year with our Summer Express program,” Wallace said. “The children are really learning and having fun in our classes this summer.”