ADVOCATE | SUMMER LEARNING
Summer Learning Week
Alaska summers are packed with opportunities for adventure, wonder, and learning. This period is a critical time to engage Alaska’s youth in academic and enriching programs. To highlight the importance of summer learning, programs can engage their youth, families, communities, and local policy makers in National Summer Learning Week.
Why Summer Matters:
High quality summer programs can improve academics, boost attendance, and raise graduation rates. Summers without quality learning opportunities put Alaska’s youth at risk for losing ground in academics – year after year – in core subjects like math and reading. Students can lose up to two months’ worth of learning from the previous school year when their minds aren’t engaged during the summer vacation. Low-income students are especially vulnerable to summer learning loss due to fewer opportunities in high-quality summer learning programs. The math and reading skills low-income students lose each summer are cumulative and contribute significantly to the disparity between lower- and higher-income kids. Summertime provides an area for growth that will continue long after summer has passed. Learn more At a Glance about Why Summers Matter.
In Alaska, 31% of families say at least one child attended a summer program in 2019. However, the demand for summer programs exceeds the current rate of participation, with 50% of Alaska families reporting that they would like their children to participate. Get more information about Summer Learning Programs in Alaska from the America After 3pm Survey.
How to Celebrate
Add your program to Discover Summer
Post about National Summer Learning Week on social media.
Hang a poster at your program.
Complete this Super Summer Program Checklist with your program.
Engage Kids at Home
Engage the Community
Host a summer learning celebration in the community.
Engage local policymakers on a tour of your program.
Host a family night with fun activities and information on community resources.
Start a local media campaign to raise awareness of Summer Learning Week.
Resources from the Alaska Afterschool Network
Each year, the Alaska Afterschool Network creates and mails out a Summer Learning Week poster to hang up in your program! You can also print the poster at the link at right. Plus, check out our fun Super Summer Program Checlist for fun things to do all summer long!
Get Inspiration from Alaska Programs
In this blog, read about what the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM), Camp Bear Valley, and Sitka 4-H did to celebrate Summer Learning Week!
In this blog from 2022, read about OPT-In Kiana, S.T.R.E.A.M. Academy, Ketchikan Afterschool Program, Onward & Upward, and Camp Bear Valley did to celebrate Summer Learning Week!
In this blog from 2019, read about Anchorage Youth Court’s Summer Law & Leadership Camp, RALLY Harborview in Juneau, Youth 360 Mat-Su, and PCR Summer Playground Program in Unalaska did to highlight summer learning!
And in in this blog from 2018, read about L.E.A.P. Summer Camp at Riverbend Elementary in Juneau, Camp Fire Alaska, and Culture Camp through Curyung Tribal Council and Bristol Bay 4H in Dillingham!
Engage in the Summer Learning Week Themes
Love of Literacy & Learning
Social Media Shareables
Summer learning prevents learning loss, decreases the "summer slide" that can occur between students of different life circumstances, and promotes fun and engagement! To help elevate the power of Summer Learning Week, we're sharing graphics and text for you to post on your social media! Help share the message of summer learning by using some of our tools.
We've created 5 sample social media posts for you and also crafted several messages that link to cool activities. Explore what we've made here.
Also, if you're interested in accessing these posts directly on Canva so you can change them to be branded by your organization, email us here.
