By GRETA SHUSTER
Special to the Herald
United Way of Rhode Island’s mission to help students maintain their academic level over the summer is a puzzle. The City of Cranston is one of the integral pieces.
Since 2012, United Way’s Summer Learning Initiative (SLI) has been helping students in Rhode Island continue to learn and grow during the summer when school is not in session. The program is offered in Cranston as well as four other municipalities across the state: Central Falls, Newport, Westerly and Woonsocket. This year, the program aims to help 650 families by providing their children with what United Way President and CEO Cortney Nicolato calls “blended learning.”
July 8 marked the first day of the SLI program, and was celebrated at a press conference Thursday at the United Way of RI headquarters in Providence. Notable attendees included President and CEO Nicolato, Newport Mayor Xaykham Khamsyvoravong and Woonsocket Mayor Christopher Beauchamp. Cranston Mayor Kenneth Hopkins was absent; he was attending services for a family loss.
Not only does the SLI provide students with hands-on educational activities, but the benefits of the program extend far beyond the children’s academics. The program is also crucial for working families, providing a safe and educational place for their children to go during the work day, so that parents can maximize their employment and income. The SLI model is free and full-time; children receive over 30 hours of programming a week for no cost to their families. In comparison, according to United Way’s press release, the national average cost for six weeks of summer camp is $5,352.90.
“We’ve witnessed remarkable transformations among our students with initiatives consistently demonstrating that students maintain or even improve their academic performance over the summer,” said Mayor Hopkins in a written statement. “Together, we are building a brighter future for Cranston’s youth, and ensuring they are equipped with the skills and confidence they need for academic success and active citizenship.”
“Working together with community organizations, state and local municipal and educational agencies and businesses, is an opportunity to acknowledge these programs work for everyone, not just our youth,” said Marlene Morgera, program officer for Child Development and 2-Gen Initiatives at United Way. “Summer programs are education, but also family stability, workforce development, and support for workers and the community.”
Children participating in the SLI program are not limited to education in a classroom setting. United Way works with community partners in Cranston such as the Cranston Public School District, Ocean State Kidz Club, Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association, Global Science & Envirotech, and others. Students take part in hands-on learning activities such as 3-D printing, taking water quality samples at Stillhouse Cove, learning about welding and hybrid vehicles with Electric Boat and swim lessons at the YMCA.
Nicolato stressed the importance of investing in the future of Rhode Island through its youth. She called for further collaboration with Rhode Island businesses. “This is your workforce, and we’re building it. We want to build it with you,” she said.
While the program is crucial in bridging the learning gap for students between the last and first days of school, speakers at the press conference highlighted the need to grow the SLI. The demand for the program in Rhode Island far exceeds the supply that United Way has to offer.
“We have a waitlist, and that is disgusting and unacceptable,” said Erin Spaulding, executive director of Connecting for Children & Families (CCF). “As much as we want to celebrate summer learning…let’s get kids off the waitlist because our children and families deserve our best.”
United Way and its partners disclosed that thousands of children would have participated in the SLI if it had been available to them. Rhode Island children and their families are missing out on participating due to funding shortfalls, a lack of stimulus dollars and the need for greater collaboration with community partners.
“Some of the challenges are the overall increase in costs, goods and materials, transportation and staffing,” said Morgera. “With the loss of stimulus dollars and the increase in costs, programs have had to limit capacity, scale back opportunities and think outside of the box to continue to provide services.”
Editor’s Note: Greta Shuster is a Beacon Media editorial intern.