Absolutely love this. I think Alabama is leading some innovation here. I'm hopeful we’ll be able to show the academic value of summer enrichment—but honestly, we shouldn’t have to justify a baller summer for every kid with outcome metrics alone. The daily joy, the movement, the lack of academic pressure—it all matters. The social, physical, and emotional growth are reason enough to invest.
I can’t believe you didn’t mention NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program, the main unstated purpose of which it seems to be is to provide affordable day care to elementary school aged kids during the summer: the city creates day camps and then hires the city’s teenagers as camp counselors. Yea, there are also internships and other jobs available in the program but it’s basically a massive childcare “scheme” and it’s a rite of passage in the city. Without fail all of my students who do it come back to school more responsible (and appreciative!) students.
One other thing: there aren’t enough pools in cities!
I would very much support a year round school calendar. I think most parents would as well if all schools moved simultaneously (so some kids are in school and some aren't)
Back in the late 90s, I worked as a summer camp counselor in Rudy Crews's Breakaway Camps - it was the camp I attended as a kid - and brought kids from all over NYC to the sleepaway camps in NY and NJ. In the morning, they got extra literacy instruction and for the rest of the time they learned to swim, spent time in nature, and made great memories around a campfire. There are models for how this could work that we could learn from. There's more than one way for kids to learn and a baller summer can provide experiences, relationships, and growth that a classroom alone just can’t replicate.
Absolutely love this. I think Alabama is leading some innovation here. I'm hopeful we’ll be able to show the academic value of summer enrichment—but honestly, we shouldn’t have to justify a baller summer for every kid with outcome metrics alone. The daily joy, the movement, the lack of academic pressure—it all matters. The social, physical, and emotional growth are reason enough to invest.
I can’t believe you didn’t mention NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program, the main unstated purpose of which it seems to be is to provide affordable day care to elementary school aged kids during the summer: the city creates day camps and then hires the city’s teenagers as camp counselors. Yea, there are also internships and other jobs available in the program but it’s basically a massive childcare “scheme” and it’s a rite of passage in the city. Without fail all of my students who do it come back to school more responsible (and appreciative!) students.
One other thing: there aren’t enough pools in cities!
I would very much support a year round school calendar. I think most parents would as well if all schools moved simultaneously (so some kids are in school and some aren't)
Back in the late 90s, I worked as a summer camp counselor in Rudy Crews's Breakaway Camps - it was the camp I attended as a kid - and brought kids from all over NYC to the sleepaway camps in NY and NJ. In the morning, they got extra literacy instruction and for the rest of the time they learned to swim, spent time in nature, and made great memories around a campfire. There are models for how this could work that we could learn from. There's more than one way for kids to learn and a baller summer can provide experiences, relationships, and growth that a classroom alone just can’t replicate.
I love the ESAs for summer activities idea! If you hear of anyone spinning one up, please post about it - I'd love to support.
And I'd like to throw Heavyweights and Theater Camp in the running for best summer movie :)