Summer is a time for kids to kick back and have fun. However, too much of that can have a negative impact when it comes to children retaining the information they receive throughout the school year. That is why a program like the Power Scholars Academy (PSA) is imperative.
This summer learning loss prevention program is designed to ensure that the learning keeps going throughout the summer. Power Scholars Academy is also free of charge to students in PreK through 8th Grade.
PSA is excited to share that we have partnered with Encompass to streamline the education-based portion of Power Scholar’s and to strengthen a community-based partnership to create a fully sustainable future model to better serve our students and create opportunities for expansion in the coming years
Afternoons are dedicated to enrichment time. That includes a Safety Around Water component at our YMCA Camp Thunderbird Location, and club time, which is built around specialized interests like sports and art, as well as history, like learning about different countries across the globe.
Parents who have kids in the program have seen the benefits tenfold. Leticia Vargas, whose twelve-year-old daughter, Liliana, is part of the program, said she’s seen how PSA has helped her daughter blossom socially. Vargas also noted that it’s been great having Liliana participate in the program while she works throughout the day.
“I think this is a great help for the kids and for Liliana. Especially since she was kind of sad when school ended,” said Vargas. “We were having some issues with her just being in her room and being on her phone, and I think this is helping her to open up, meet friends, talk to people, and have fun. I think it helps with them not just being on the phone all the time, and playing games, and actually doing things that are school related.”
Nicole Cox is also highly connected to PSA. Not only does her daughter, Mariah, participate in the program, but her brother, Colby, and cousins, Jace and Jayvion, have also been a part of PSA over the years. Cox can speak to how beneficial PSA has been for her family, particularly with her daughter’s math skills.
“When she comes to PSA, they help her with her math,” said Cox. “And she thinks she’s got everything handled, but sometimes she’ll get a couple of problems wrong, and they’ll help her, and they let her know that there are different ways to do things. It just helps her a lot, and I appreciate them for that.”
Vargas’s daughter, Liliana, said that she’s taken a lot from being in the program. One thing she has learned is to be more in tune with herself when it comes to social settings.
“I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned how to keep up boundaries, and I learned how to trust people and to not always have my guard up 24/7,” said Liliana, who is in her first summer at PSA.
She also said that she has thoroughly enjoyed learning about other cultures across the world. Her class got to learn about the history of Africa and Nigeria, specifically the different customs and traditions that these places have.
In addition to classroom time and extracurriculars in 2024, PSA has expanded with new programming offered to middle school students. The 7th and 8th graders got to be a part of an experiential learning program that included leadership development and career exploration.
Thirteen-year-old Ahmari has enjoyed experiential learning as well as learning about different countries and their cultures. He has been soaking up the lessons he’s been taught about Japanese culture.
“I’ve never really had contact with any other country,” said Ahmari. “I’ve never been to any other country. And Japan, I didn’t really know about it, so it’s been nice to learn more.”
He has enjoyed meeting new people and learning how to handle challenges differently throughout the summer. And like Liliana, Ahmari has also gone through self-exploration while at PSA.
“We play games where we deal with different things, how to handle different things,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed learning various ways to handle things. Let’s say I bump into you, and I get mad, I want to learn how to stop getting mad and say ‘sorry,’ and be more considerate.”
Another child who has been focusing on their math skills in PSA is ten-year-old Shyheim. He’s been working on high-division problems as he prepares for 6th grade. Although there are similarities between school and PSA, he said that there are clear differences between the two.
“At school, we do a lot of work, but at the Y, they just want us to feel good and have fun,” said Shyheim. “I have a lot of fun here. I mostly like ELA and learning new things about the program every day.”
The importance of providing a free program like this in the City of Rochester. Studies show that summer learning loss can be prevalent for children of all grade levels. However, preparation and commitment to summer learning loss prevention programs can mitigate the summer slide.
Knowledge is power. And with that in mind, PSA will continue to empower the youth by providing them with the knowledge needed to succeed.