Summer Learning at SOWA

Summer programs across the state have already closed shop or are wrapping up in the next couple weeks.  Over the past several years, SOWA has deepened our interest and commitment to providing Washington’s youth with high quality summer learning opportunities. This year, we are thrilled to be celebrating our 10^th year of Feed Your Brain, a project that provides schools or community based organizations in high-poverty rural communities with grants of up to $5,000 to support their summer program.  To be eligible, programs must provide at least 1.5 hours of literacy activities at least 4 times a week and sponsor an open feeding site through the USDA sponsored Summer Feeding Program.  SOWA partners with Children’s Alliance and Discuren Charitable Foundation to make this project happen. 

This past summer, we funded 17 communities with a Feed Your Brain grant.  Five of these communities are receiving multi-year funding and training and technical assistance to work towards program quality improvements.  We try to visit as many programs throughout the summer as possible and this year, were able to visit 11 out of the 17 programs.  It’s amazing to see firsthand the great things happening in these programs that are providing young people with a safe, enriching place to go during the summer months.

As one student who attends SHARP Kids in Coulee Dam explains, “This summer program keeps us safe instead of around town where there are gangs.  We are taught to be successful by the SHARP Kids program by learning important life skills and life experiences so we are prepared for the real world once we are adults.”

While we continue our efforts to sustain the Feed Your Brain project, we are excited about a new focus at the systems level to increase awareness among local and state leaders around the benefits of summer programs.  Through a special technical assistance project, SOWA will be working with experts from the National Summer Learning Association, to develop a comprehensive campaign to build public will for summer programs in Washington State.   

Stay tuned to learn more about our work on summer!