Students in YWCA Central Alabama’s Summer Adventures in Learning (SAIL) program are having a wild time at camp this year. They’ve seen tigers and African lions, fed goats, ridden on a train, gazed at a waterfall, and held chinchillas. And that was just in one day.

“I like this camp because it is so much fun,” said 9-year-old Khalilah, a rising fifth-grader. “I never want my mama to pick me up early!”

With a theme of “Sailing into Excellence,” the program is designed to provide educational and enrichment activities for the students of homeless and working poor families. The goal is to prevent summer learning loss and to provide opportunities for the girls and boys to try new things.