News Release

Recognizing the impact of summer enrichment on academic achievement, Staples Foundation for Learning and Teach Baltimore at The Johns Hopkins University are joining forces to ensure that young people don't take a vacation from learning during the long summer months.

Over the next year, Staples Foundation for Learning will invest $11,550 to provide high-quality summer learning experiences to more than 300 kindergarten through second- grade students from eight Baltimore City elementary schools. Funding will support curricula, supplies, field trips, and stipends for the college students who will serve as instructors in the Teach Baltimore Summer Academy program.

Research shows that the traditional summer vacation has a particularly harmful impact on the reading achievement of low-income students. While test scores of middle-income children essentially plateau during the summer months, the test scores of low-income students decline significantly. Studies also show that summer learning losses of low-income children accumulate over the elementary school years, and that their achievement scores fall further behind the scores of their more-advantaged peers as they progress through school.

This alliance is designed to address the problem of summer learning loss by focusing on helping students develop and practice literacy skills during summer vacation. With the help of this grant, students will participate in reading and writing activities, hands-on math games, science experiments, arts and crafts, foreign language, music and drama. Students also will take weekly field trips to museums and participate in cultural events offered throughout Baltimore.

"We are grateful to Staples Foundation for Learning for their support of our efforts to improve the quality and quantity of summer learning opportunities available to young people in Baltimore," said Ron Fairchild, executive director of Teach Baltimore. "The grant acknowledges our program's 10-year track record of success and provides critical support for our continued growth and expansion."

The alliance will be announced at the Govans Elementary School Community Art Show on Monday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. in the school's cafeteria, 5801 York Rd. in Baltimore. Students who participated in the 2002 Teach Baltimore Summer Academy will serve as docents at the Art Show and present their work focused on the theme of "Reflections on a Warmer Time."