The population of Urbandale, Iowa was growing rapidly due to an influx of immigrants.  The educational system of the city was quickly becoming overburdened by an influx of children.  These children often did not speak english as their first language, lacked positive outlets, and were undernourished and unsupervised.  

In response to these problems, the Parks and Recreation Department created the Making a Connnection Camp.  The camp focused on children from low-income households and engaged them in activities focused on arts, reading, math, and life skills.  It was run on funds from local private enterprise and spare funds in other local departments.

After the camp, teachers noted improvement in reading and math in students who attended the camp, and improved behavior in the students.

This case study was nominated for ICMA's Annual Awards Program.