The halls at North Casper Elementary were generally quiet on Tuesday morning, but some of the building's upstairs classrooms were buzzing with activity.

Isaiah Mitchell, 7, shouted as he read a story about astronauts from his computer screen. A few seats down, Stormie Ray, 7, focused intently on her own story. Teaching assistant Joy Dickinson quietly encouraged Stormie as she read aloud.

"Susan B. Anthony was born in 1820. She was a qu…qu…Quaker," Stormie recited.

Both Isaiah and Stormie were taking part in Winter Bridges, a five-day program designed to help at-risk students stay on top of core subjects over their winter break. This is the first year Winter Bridges has been offered at Natrona County elementary schools. High schools also offer the program and have done so in the past. Not all schools are taking part in the program.

Although the program is not required, those in the program are often identified by their respective schools as needing additional help.

Schools often include fun activities for their Winter Bridges students. For example, Sagewood Elementary is offering programs from the Casper Children's Theatre this week, and Willard Elementary offered its students yoga on Wednesday.

Principal Phillip Hubert said North Casper focused its Winter Bridges program on specific, remedial instruction. Having the students work proficiently at their grade level is what's important, he said.

"We don't do it because we want to have a shorter Christmas vacation," Hubert said. "We do it to help our kids."

The two tutors and two teaching assistants who run Winter Bridges at North Casper deserve a lot of credit, Hubert said.

"I'm really pleased with the work our tutors have done to make things come together," he said.

Students at North Casper worked in small groups, tackling reading and math assignments. One group working with teaching assistant Giny Neilsen filled out multiplication charts and identified obtuse, acute and right angles.

Another group working with Neilsen worked on learning how to put things in order. The boys stood up from their chairs and enthusiastically measured each other, running their hands through the air as they tried to guess who was tallest and who was shortest.

In another room, Stormie and Isaiah sat on the edges of their seats, as they took turns reading aloud from a book about the racehorse Seabiscuit. Tutor Suzanne Parke stopped them periodically, asking questions about what they'd just read or answering their questions.

"What is a cow pony?" Stormie asked.

"Well, if I had to guess, it's probably a pony that helps herd the cows," Parke said.

"Or, it could have horns!" Stormie said with a big smile.

Tutor Lori Smith said the program will hopefully keep students from falling behind in core classes when they return to school Jan. 9.

"It gives them small group, very focused instruction in core areas," she said. "It's really getting them back on track."

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com.