Kids on Course expanding to Trailside Elementary in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — Kids on Course — a program that provides tutoring, mentoring and family engagement — is expanding to Cedar Rapids’ newest elementary school this fall.

The program will be available to students at Trailside Elementary School, which is in its first school year in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, beginning in August.

Kids on Course is a program of the Zach Johnson Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping Cedar Rapids children and their families. Johnson, who was raised in Cedar Rapids, is a professional golfer who has 12 victories on the PGA Tour, including two major championships, the 2007 Masters and the 2015 Open Championship.

"The Zach Johnson Foundation is a proven partner, providing experiences for our students that improve their academics now and shape their future,“ Cedar Rapids district Superintendent Tawana Grover said in a statement. ”We are extremely grateful for their mission, which continues to enrich the lives of more and more students. As they expand to serve an additional school in our district, we celebrate their ongoing commitment to making a lasting impact on even more young lives."

Johnson began golfing at 10 years old at the Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids. He now resides in St. Simons Island, Georgia, with his wife, Kim, and his three children.

Trailside will become the 10th school in the Cedar Rapids district to offer Kids on Course, which has helped close achievement gaps, provide enrichment experiences and create supportive community for children and their families for almost 15 years.

It also is offered to students at Grant, Harrison, Hoover, Cedar River Academy at Taylor and Van Buren elementary schools; Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy and Wilson Middle School; and Jefferson and Kennedy high schools. Kids on Course staff are available in the schools for guidance and emotional support.

The expansion is made possible through donors and sponsors who support the foundation's initiatives, including the recent "Supplying Success" campaign, according to a news release from the Zach Johnson Foundation. The campaign raised over $27,000.

The average cost to operate Kids on Course programming is about $1,600 per student each school year.

“We have seen firsthand the transformative impact of Kids on Course in our partner schools,” said Eric Christenson, executive director for the Zach Johnson Foundation. “The program not only boosts academic performance but also fosters a sense of belonging and ambition for students. We’re eager to start building relationships with the Trailside community.”

Kids on Course serves over 1,000 students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, starting when they’re in first grade. For more information or to get involved, visit kidsoncoursecr.com.

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