Celebrating a Successful Summer Thanks to Groundbreaking Partnership

April Tinch can vividly recall the anxiety that set in early last spring when she realized she needed to make summer plans for her 10-year-old daughter.

April had recently returned to work after being a stay-at-home mom for years as she raised her other four daughters who are now 15, 13, and 12.

“Usually, my youngest daughter Lizzie would stay home with me but that wasn’t an option this year,” April said. She began exploring summer camps with many costing upwards of $300 per week.

Parents and community leaders report that not enough summer enrichment programs for students in Southeast Michigan exist. Barriers such as transportation and cost prevent parents from enrolling their children even if spots are available.

When April came across a sign advertising the Summer Discovery Program, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

Summer Fun For Everyone

Summer Discovery is an innovative program designed to provide free, high-quality summer experiences for kids in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.

The initiative, which was made possible by a $47 million grant from Ballmer Group, provided instruction and enrichment activities for more than 19,000 K-8 students across 95 sites throughout the summer.

With a wide range of options from ice skating and sports to science, technology and math (STEM) and cooking, Summer Discovery offered something for everyone.

April sought out a fun program that would allow her daughter to be active. She decided on Racquet Up Detroit where Lizzie could participate in squash and other wellness activities, work on academic enrichment, and go on weekly field trips.

“For me, as a parent, it was a win-win. It was free and my daughter loved it,” said April. She also appreciated the program’s convenient location right in her neighborhood and their commitment to parent engagement.

“My favorite thing was the field trips,” said Lizzie who made custom tie-dye shirts for herself and four camp friends when they went on a field trip to CJ Barrymore.

Reducing Learning Loss

Summer learning loss, often referred to as “summer slide,” impacts students across the region – causing them to regress on some of the academic progress made during the previous school year. Summer slide is particularly noticeable in areas that require continued practice such as reading and math.

“Thanks to Summer Discovery, an unprecedented number of students and families had access to the quality enrichment and out-of-school programs that they need and deserve,” said Jametta Lilly, CEO of the Detroit Parent Network. “Access to quality out-of-school time is a longstanding issue for too many families and school districts.”

In addition to education, the exposure to new activities was also a major draw for April.

“It goes beyond sports in my mind,” April said. “We know a lot of business deals are made on the golf course and in other arenas outside of the office. The more my girls can be exposed to, the better prepared they’ll be for the future.”

Donate today to help students keep up the learning momentum all year long and check back next spring for more updates on Summer Discovery.