National Summer Learning Day 2016

United Way of Yellowstone County along with five Billings Out of School Time (Boost)  partners are celebrating National Summer Learning Day today along with more than 1,000 other programs across the nation.  The day started with an event that  took place this morning at the local United Way office in Billings and highlighted how summer learning can help a child be ready for the new school year and avoid the loss of learning with summer enrichment programs.  United Way of Yellowstone County was joined by the their out of school time partners who collectively serve over 1,200 youth.  These partners have committed to a BOOST Summer Success pilot project to ensure that the kids in their programs have access to mentors, healthy food, and academic enrichment opportunities.  They are tracking results and have a goal to ensure the children in their programs do not lose any academic ground this summer. Results will be available in the fall.  Matt Lundgren , Executive Director from Friendship House interviewed a few of the program participants who then shared the fun they are having reading and learning through several programs at Friendship House this summer.  Program highlights were also shared by Dan Benge, Ph. D. Director of Upward Bound and  Mark Lambott, Program Director for CARE Academy and Discover Zone summer and after-school time programs.  

Kristin Lundgren, Director of Impact United Way of Yellowstone County, and coordinator for Graduation Matters Billings said, . “SUMMER LEARNING DAY IS AN ANNUAL REMINDER THAT SUMMERS MATTER AND IF WE WANT OUR KIDS TO DO WELL IN THE SCHOOL YEAR AHEAD, OUR COMMUNITIES NEED TO ENSURE STUDENTS GET THE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES THEY NEED TO CONTINUE GROWING AND THRIVING OVER THE SUMMER WE ARE DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, AND OUR CELEBRATION TODAY MARKS OUR COMMITMENT TO THAT GOAL.”

The celebrations continued throughout the day at sites across the community with events being held at all the BOOST partnership locations.  Billings Family YMCA along with Boys and
Girls Club, Friendship House of Christian Service and The Burlington School site for CARE Academy all held community carnival events to celebrate National Summer Learning Day with their families!