Wareham CARE students did it all this summer, from learning lessons on swimming and sailing to dancing and robotics.

Organized by the Office of Beyond School Time, the CARE program (Community, Academic, Recreation, Enrichment) offered a variety of summer and after school learning opportunities for kids in kindergarten all the way up to the 12th grade.

On Thursday, Aug. 16, all of the students came together for the CARE Fair, which celebrated the completion of the summer program, and featured food, crafts, face painting, games and presentations of musical theater, community service, dance and claymation.

Students took the stage for a performance of “SpongeBob and the Volcano,” loosely based on the Broadway musical with some characters added by students, and “Royal of the Sea,” which featured students figuring out who would rule the ocean. The show ended with a everyone singing “Surfin’ in the USA.”

The performances were in line with this year’s theme: S.E.A. (Service Empowers Achievement.)

Together with partners like the Buzzards Bay Coaltition, Gleason Family YMCA and the Mass Audubon Society, kids enjoyed opportunities to learn and explore that they wouldn't otherwise wouldn’t have received.

"A lot of our kids have never been on a sailboat or traveled to Boston," said director Jane Fondulis. "So we're really helping them to branch out and grow."

CARE is a free and open program for students who suffer from learning disabilities or come from economically disadvantaged families in Wareham. Students who are considered at risk academically also enroll in CARE, which Fondulis says helps to improve their attendance.

"The school day can be challenging for these kids for a variety of reasons," Fondulis said. "But they keep trying because they want to be in our other programs. We've seen a lot of kids blossom here."

Through their classes, students engage in hands-on with learning projects surrounding this theme. This involved everything from drug awareness to intergenerational friendships local with seniors.

At the fair, one portion of the program, a community service-oriented project, featured students’ work on informing the community about the dangers of drug abuse. The students researched the issue and healthy alternatives, then offered games and information at the fair. They also raised $200, which will be donated to Brent’s Bed, a program that assists young men financially as they transition from the Miller House, a detox facility, to a recovery residence.

According to Fondulis, CARE also helps students to form meaningful friendships.

"We've gotten terrific feedback from parents who say these programs helped their kids socially and academically," Fondulis said. "And really that's what it's all about."

CARE receives it's funding through a grant funded by the 21st Century Community Learning Center, which Fondulis said is highly competitive.

However, the Wareham CARE program has done so well that it's actually become a demonstration school.

"We help train people from all over so that they can run programs like this," Fondulis said, adding “this has been a great six weeks. It’s always sad to see it come to an end.”