The McRae-Gaines Learning Center (MGLC) will graduate 42 students from its summer program at 9 a.m. on Friday at the Wallace Community College Selma theater.

The six-week program was part of the MGLC Sadie Moss Summer Learning Institute Program, which is funded through an education partnership from Birmingham-based Summer Adventures in Learning (SAIL). SAIL gave the MGLC a $5,000 grant. The Daniel Foundation of Alabama also provided a $30,000 grant.

The students successfully completed courses in English and Math in the program.

“This funding and program is critical for the students because data shows that summer learning loss contributes to the achievement gap between low-income students and their higher income peers,” MGLC Director Sadie Moss said in a release.

“While all children lose up to two months of math skills during summer vacation, low-income students are at risk of losing an additional two months in reading achievement,” she said.

Moss, an educator with more than 50 years of experience, noticed the children’s improvement in the program.

“Our children have worked extremely hard over these last six weeks,” Moss said. “I am confident they have made valuable gains in their knowledge of English and math.”

Several state-based companies partnered with SAIL for this year’s grant cycle: Alabama Power Foundation, The Belk Foundation, The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Daniel Foundation of Alabama, Independent Presbyterian Church Foundation, Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation, The Junior League of Birmingham, Mike Camp; Gillian Goodrich Foundation and United Way of Central Alabama.