What are the opening hours?

Monday 7:30am - 4:45pm Tuesday 7:30am - 4:45pm Wednesday 7:30am - 4:45pm Thursday 7:30am - 4:45pm Friday 7:30am - 4:45pm

Energy Express

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Energy Express is a free, six-week, summer reading and nutrition program for children 1st-6th grade living in West Virginia. The answer: Energy Express

We improve reading levels through books, art, drama, and vocabulary. Energy Express is funded by a grant from AmeriCorps. During the summer many children lose academic skills. Without school breakfast and lunch, many children lose nutritional well-being. Many children have few structured learning opportunities. Summer learning and nutritional losses are greater for children living in rural and low-income communities. Children living in rural and low-income communities often fall behind during the summer months, starting each school year behind where they were the previous spring. Successive summers of limited learning opportunities may cause children to fall below grade level by the end of elementary school—putting them further and further behind more privileged peers.

11/04/2026

What does learning look like at WVU Energy Express?

Children deep in conversation with their Mentors and one another. A story coming to life through drama. A shared art project taking shape as children exchange ideas.

These joyful moments take intentional planning. Our Mentors connect reading, writing, art, drama, and recreation to help children explore ideas, practice language, and discover something new together.

This approach makes a difference. Year after year, our academic assessments have shown that the majority of Energy Express children with matched pre- and post-assessment results maintain or improve their reading scale scores over the summer.

Joy and purposeful learning belong together.

11/04/2026

💛 Service doesn’t just transform individuals—it builds unity, strengthens our nation’s resilience, and quietly brings people together.
When alumni share how service shaped their lives, they remind us why national service is worth investing in—for young people today and for generations to come. 🌟

11/02/2026

Thank you, Summer 2026 Energy Express families! 💙

This year, the percentage of families who shared feedback through our adult caregiver survey more than doubled, increasing by 118% from last summer.

Your experiences and ideas help us understand what’s working and how we can continue to make Energy Express a welcoming, joyful place for children to learn and grow. We’re grateful you took the time to share them with us!

11/01/2026

Mentor and Community Coordinator Applications open November 1st!

Apply using this link: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=943&fromSearch=true

Site announcements will be made in January 2027.

10/30/2026

Need some inspiration for Halloween this year?🎃🕸

Energy Express children have created many costumes using found objects and you can do the same! These fun and easy costume ideas are great for kids and adults alike. Add some individuality by creating your own costume!

10/29/2026

Preparing to care for children also means building skills that last beyond the summer.

All Energy Express Site Coordinators, Community Coordinators, and Mentors received Heartsaver First Aid training from Melissa Pierce, a registered nurse, and Ann Dugan, an Emergency Medical Technician and Training Center Coordinator for the Shirley M. Kimble Training Center at WVU Safety and Health Extension.

This training helps our teams respond to first aid needs at Energy Express while developing practical skills they can carry into future workplaces and their communities.

10/28/2026

Energy Express is dedicated to giving back to the communities we serve. Here's how Pleasants County-St. Mary's site team gave back to their community with their service project. Thanks to donations from local churches and organizations, every week the team packed and distributed weekly snack packs to send home with Energy Express children. All together, 426 snack packs were distributed.

10/27/2026

There's nothing better than reading a great book!

A 2024 study from the World Literacy Foundation found that "children aged 8-18 who owned a book were more than three times more likely to report reading daily in their free time than children who did not."

Children who attend Energy Express receive weekly take-home books to build their personal library. Our goal is to spread a love of literacy and learning across West Virginia. 💛💙

10/26/2026

A growing vocabulary gives children more than new words. It gives them more ways to understand, question, explain, and create.

That is why vocabulary is woven throughout the Energy Express day through books, Word Walls, conversation, writing, games, art, and other hands-on experiences.

As technology gives children access to more information and new ways to create, strong language skills help them make the most of those opportunities.

10/23/2026

🍂 It may be fall, but at Energy Express, we're still dreaming of summer! From one-on-one reading and vocabulary building to teamwork, hands-on learning, and community connections, our students keep growing, learning, and making the most of every summer through meaningful learning experiences and lasting memories! 🍂📖

Address

805 Allen Hall PO Box 6602
Morgantown, WV
26506

Opening Hours

Monday	7:30am - 4:45pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 4:45pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 4:45pm
Thursday	7:30am - 4:45pm
Friday	7:30am - 4:45pm

Website

http://extension.wvu.edu/youth-family/youth-education/energy-express, https://www.youtube.com/@energyexpress2214

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