AUBURN – The Auburn School Department will begin a new $24,000 pilot program Monday to help motivate fourth-graders.

Using money left from a grant, 12 fourth-graders at Walton School were invited to attend “Walton Academy,” where a group of teachers will give them extra attention in hopes of boosting their motivation. The students will be taught using hands-on environmental science lessons at the Auburn Land Lab.

Elaine Dow, who leads teacher instruction for Auburn schools, told the School Committee on Wednesday that every year after test results come back she worries about a group of kids. These students “come to school, are well-behaved, but are marginal readers and iffy math students,” she said.

Walton Academy will be offered one week each in October, November, January and April.

If the program works and if money is available, fourth-graders at another school would be targeted for extra help next year.

Meanwhile, teachers may learn more about what helps motivate students – lessons that could be passed on to other teachers, Dow said.

The School Committee also heard a report by Bates College students about learning while performing a service. Through its Harward Center for Community Partnerships headed by David Scobey, Bates is well-known for community service learning.

Last year, some 700 Bates students, about half the student body, did some kind of community work. Such service “is part of the DNA at Bates. We’re proud of this work,” Scobey said.