Share Your Story
Sharing your story helps us communicate the compelling case for summer learning funding. Did you have a summer learning experience that made a difference in your life? Do you run a summer program that uses public funds to improve the lives of youth? Tell us about it!
Here are a few of the stories others have shared.
Christine Pride of New York, NY wrote:
"Every summer I serve as a volunteer t-ball coach for Harlem RBI, a youth development organization based in East Harlem. The organization has both summer and after-school programs that use participation on a baseball/softball team as a way to engage kids in education and enrichment activities. I have also been an after-school tutor and a mentor for the youth newsletter at Harlem RBI." (read more)
Ed Kosiur of Schenectady, NY wrote:
"Teacher Amanda Adamo pointed to the phrases "be safe, be respectful and be responsible" that were written on the easel.
She then told the roughly 25 students to come up with ideas that fit each of those categories.
"You're making your own code of conduct," she told the students Monday at the SSCCORE Summer Learning Camp at Central Park (Schenectady School's, County, City Outreach in Recreation & Education)." (read more)
Stephen Severance of Saint Paul, MN wrote:
"I forged partnerships with St. Thomas University and Concordia University to create the camps Cultural Academic and Athletic Programs (CAAP) and the Emerging and Dual Language Learner camps. The programs brings youth together from 10 districts with core academic classes for two periods and athletic life long sports for two periods. We also feed them breakfast and lunch in the canteen of the universities through the federal lunch program.
The camps serve 1700 youth in the summer. The academic support is covered, in part, by ALC funding from the state and Saint Paul School staff. Integration funding from the suburban districts, university in-kind support, and grant money support the other costs." (read more)
Donna Pierson-Pugh of Boonville, CA wrote:
"With the cuts to our school district's funding, we were unable to offer summer school this past summer and this year we will end one week earlier. This will result in an 11 week break in the summer for our students—86% qualify for free and reduced lunch and 73% are English learners. There was a significant decrease in the beginning of the year reading benchmark scores, particularly in grades 2nd and lower." (read more)
Zenniah D of Washington, DC wrote:
"My name is Zenniah Davis, I am 14 years old, and I am a recent alumni of Higher Achievement. As a Higher Achievement scholar I had the opportunity to emcee numerous events, serve as a tour guide to potential funders, get elected as the Ambassador to the Ward 7 Achievement Center, and most recently, to serve as one of speakers at Higher Achievement’s 2009 graduation. These were all great accomplishments, but surprisingly, it wasn’t the academics, leadership or any of the things mentioned above that I was MOST proud of. I was MOST proud of the sense of community that Higher Achievement instilled in me." (read more)
