"Fun in the Sun has impacted me; I feel like I am making a difference. It has also made me a better teacher." - Lynne Vargas
Lynne Vargas is a vibrant, enthusiastic, and passionate 4th grade teacher at Oak Hill Elementary School. After 20 years of teaching, Lynne has had the privilege of working with a variety of students, many of whom she has seen excel and move on to higher education.
In the summer of 2014 when Lynne received the letter regarding United Way of Santa Barbara County's summer program Fun in the Sun (FITS), she had no idea of the great impact it would have in her small school community. Nevertheless, she accepted the offer to participate in the program, because she enjoyed summer school teaching and because Fun in the Sun presented and opportunity to work directly with kids struggling academically.
During her first summer of FITS, Lynne began to see the tremendous impact the program was having in the academic and personal lives of students.
Luis, is one of the students Lynne has seen impacted by FITS. Luis, comes from a family with stable income family, but has suffered academically due to his struggles with reading comprehension and attention. However, throughout 4th grade and 5th grade Lynne noticed Luis' work through his difficulties with reading. By the end of his 5th grade year he was on honor roll and the president's list. When Lynne was later asked what she thought could have been a reason behind his academic improvement, she proudly stated "Fun in the Sun."
For Lynne Vargas, Fun in the Sun has not just been a summer learning program, it's been a life changer for both her and her students.
*Names have been changes for confidentiality