Avoiding Summer Learning Loss

This time of year, most kids are looking forward to summer vacation. Their counting down the days to take a break from the structure of school and enjoy some summer fun. Project Rise kids are no different. When asked, “What they are looking forward to for summer camp?”, field trips, playing games and arts and crafts all top the list.

During our summer camp, our kids experience excursions to museums, parks, and sports activities. They also have the opportunity to learn about judo, dance, basketball, and soccer. They will even receive valuable health screening to help with early detection and prevention of possible medical issues.

Above all these awesome experiences, our kids will focus on reading this summer. Our teachers and coordinators plan to bring books to life all summer camp long. According to an article by education professors, David Quinn and Morgan Polikoff, children in low-wealth communities tend to experience loss in their reading skills over the summer. This loss widens the already substantial achievement gap between them and their middle-class peers.

By incorporating a focus on literacy within all the engaging activities planned this summer we are doing our part to help close the gap for our kids. Creating opportunities for kids to learn is what helps build brighter futures for all of our communities. The investment our children and families receive from supporters of Operation Shoestring is phenomenal. It shows values and passion we all share for helping children to succeed.