Northshore Charter School in Bogalusa is starting an athletic program beginning in the upcoming school year.

The school’s athletic director, Byron Garner, said they are beginning with the football program and will continually add sports based on the number of students that sign up.

The school, whose team name is the Gators, will have grade levels from kindergarten through sixth grade and ninth through 11th, and all students are eligible to participate in athletics.

“Where the academic excellence has been a norm, the administration wants to bring that same ideology to athletics,” Garner said. “We want to make sure all of our students are provided an opportunity to participate in all extracurricular activities. Athletics can bond a community together. The division of the athletic program is to have a community-based support system that incentivizes that academic excellence.”

Garner added that the school has a cheerleading program, which won multiple awards this year.

“We’re excited for them to have someone to cheer for now,” Garner said

Garner said the school is in the application status to join the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

On July 16, Northshore Charter School is giving its students, who are in high school, an opportunity to sign up for sports from 10 a.m. until noon.

Later that day at 2 p.m., the school, which is beginning its third year in the 2015-16 school year, is holding the “I have Character” Camp for ages 9 through 13.

The clinic runs from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and costs $20 per child.

The camp will teach the fundaments of multiple sports. It is the athletic department’s first fundraiser.

For more information, call 985-732-0005.