Summer Program For Youth

SUMMER PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IS AN EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY AGED STUDENTS IN THE CARLISLE AREA. OUR MISSION IS TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN AND GROW ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY TO IMPROVE THEIR CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

SPY IS AN ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ENRICHMENT YEAR ROUND EXPERIENCE FOR AT-RISK ELEMENTARY AGED STUDENTS IN THE CARLISLE AREA. PARTICIPANTS ARE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELOR AS A STUDENT WHO IS STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY AND WOULD BENEFIT FROM EDUCATION ENRICHMENT, SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, AND A SAFE, NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHILE NOT IN SCHOOL. OVER 90 PERCENT OF CHILDREN REFERRED TO OUR PROGRAM COME FROM LOW-INCOME HOMES AND SPY IS OFFERED AT NO CHARGE SO THAT THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST ARE ABLE TO ATTEND. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN REFERRALS TO OUR PROGRAM. THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF LIFE DURING THE PANDEMIC, INCLUDING LEARNING LOSS, TRAUMA AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, CONTINUE TO PLAGUE OUR CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY THOSE MOST VULNERABLE FROM LOW-INCOME HOMES. IN 3 SHORT YEARS, DRIVEN BY A CRUCIAL NEED, OUR ORIGINAL SINGULAR LOCATION AND ENROLLMENT OF 50 STUDENTS IN 1ST-3RD GRADES, HAS EXPANDED TO MULTIPLE SITES, A FULL AND A PART-TIME PROGRAM AND AN ENROLLMENT OF OVER 150 CHILDREN IN ALL ELEMENTARY GRADES. OUR TRADITIONAL FULL-TIME SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM RUNS MON-FRI, 8AM-3:30PM FOR 6 WEEKS DURING JUNE AND JULY. CHILDREN ENTERING 1ST-4TH GRADES PARTICIPATE FOR ALL 6 WEEKS AT ONE OF OUR 2 LOCATIONS; ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST. IN 2022, ENROLLMENT TOTALED 102 STUDENTS BETWEEN THESE 2 SITES. MORNINGS CONSIST OF ACADEMIC STATIONS INCLUDING READING, WRITING, MATH AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT LED BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND COLLEGE EDUCATION MAJORS. WEEKLY MUSIC INSTRUCTION, STEM PROJECTS AND VISITS FROM LOCAL AUTHORS ARE ALSO PART OF THE ACADEMIC ROUTINE. A NUTRITIOUS LUNCH IS PROVIDED FOLLOWED BY AN AFTERNOON OF THEME-BASED ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, TRIPS TO THE LIBRARY, SWIMMING, AND EXCITING OFF-SITE EXCURSIONS. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WE ALSO HAVE A PART-TIME PROGRAM, REFERRED TO AS I-SPY, FOR STUDENTS ENTERING 5TH-6TH GRADES. I-SPY WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER GATHERING FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND EVALUATING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE NECESSITY FOR A PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF SLIGHTLY OLDER AT-RISK CHILDREN, AT A CRITICAL STAGE IN THEIR IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT, WAS CLEAR. IN ADDITION, GRADUATING SPY CAMPERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, WERE QUITE VOCAL, THEY WERE NOT READY TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THEIR SPY FAMILY. I-SPY RUNS 3 DAYS A WEEK, 8AM-3:30PM AND IS LOCATED AT ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH. IN 2022, THERE WERE 50 STUDENTS ENROLLED. I-SPY IS ENRICHMENT BASED WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. MORNING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ARE GROUP ORIENTED TO ENCOURAGE RELATIONAL SKILLS AND, LIKE SPY, AFTERNOONS ARE FILLED WITH OFF-SITE EXCURSIONS AND FUN. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, SPY OFFERS FUN DAYS HELD ON DAYS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR WHEN KIDS HAVE OFF SCHOOL BUT PARENTS MOST LIKELY STILL MUST REPORT TO WORK. THE PURPOSE OF THE SPY FUN DAYS IS TO KEEP KIDS SAFE AND FED WHILE NOT IN SCHOOL. ALL SPY PROGRAMS PLACE AN EMPHASIS ON CULTIVATING RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT, KINDNESS, EMPATHY, FRIENDSHIP AND PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER TRAITS CHOSEN FOR THEIR VALUE IN DEVELOPING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND IMPROVING EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. POSITIVE BEHAVIORS AND DECISION MAKING ARE REINFORCED THROUGH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS LIKE CAMPER OF THE DAY AND STAR JAR. STUDENTS WORK HARD TOWARDS INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND ARE TAUGHT SPECIFIC GOAL OBTAINMENT STRATEGIES. THIS BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND GROOMS A GROWTH MINDSET. OUR EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT DIRECTOR WORKS YEAR ROUND TO PLAN ENGAGING ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT A CHILD'S EDUCATION AS MUCH AS BRING JOY AND IMPROVE THE MENTAL STATE. OUR SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR CREATES THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM AND LEADS IT UTILIZATION. THESE POSITIONS ENSURE A CONSISTENT EXPERIENCE AND STRONG OUTCOMES ACROSS ALL LOCATIONS. SPY IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX CHALLENGES THAT HINDER FUTURE OUTCOMES FACED BY AT-RISK CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP ENSURE ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL HELP THEM LEARN AND GROW, PROMOTE A HEALTHY SENSE OF WELL-BEING AND ULTIMATELY LEAD TO THE BRIGHT FUTURE THEY DESERVE.

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