YOUR SOURCE FOR SUMMER LEARNING NEWS
July 2, 2019
Issue No. 11
Greetings!
We are less that a week away from the largest celebration of summer learning in the country—National Summer Learning Week, July 8-13! NSLA is proud to lead the country during this awareness and advocacy celebration that aims to elevate the importance of high-quality summer programs in keeping millions of children and youth safe, healthy and learning every summer. 

Summer Learning Week features hundreds of celebrations and summer activities with libraries, museums, summer camps and school district partners coast to coast.

On Wednesday, July 10, NSLA will join Boston After School & Beyond and Boston Public Schools at a press event as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of Boston’s bold idea to use the entire city as a classroom for 14,000 children in the summer months. The celebration continues on Thursday, July 11 when NSLA joins the National League of Cities for a Summer Learning Week reception with special guest, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon.

Senator Wyden, along with U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Joseph Morelle of New York’s 25th District will reintroduce the Summer Learning and Meals Act (see below), which will create a federal grant program to allow schools that already serve free summer meals to keep their libraries open for student use during the summer months.

National Summer Learning Week also offers parents, children and program providers free summer learning tools and academic readiness checks, along with an opportunity to advocate for change and ask Congress to protect summer and afterschool program funding. See the many ways you can participate by visiting the National Summer Learning Week homepage.
National Summer Learning Week is supported in part by a myriad of corporate, media and program partners. Please our Summer Learning Week web page for a list of our supporters.
Healthy Nutrition Helps Stem Summer Learning Loss
Summer isn't just about enrichment opportunities for kids, it's also is about ensuring our country’s most vulnerable youth have access to good nutrition. During National Summer Learning Week, NSLA will endorse the Summer Learning and Meals Act, to be reintroduced by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon and U.S. Representative Joseph Morelle of New York’s 25th District.

Modeled after the successful Oregon Summer Learning, Library, Lunch (SL3) program, the new legislation supporting state libraries will create a federal grant program to allow schools that already serve free summer meals to keep their libraries open for student use during the summer months. B y dedicating one day specifically to nutrition and wellness, NSLA draws attention to the fact that the inequities of summer also extend to food security.
Monday, July 8: Share Your Summer Learning Story
We want to hear what inspires you about summer learning! Use your favorite social media to take the #SmarterSummers Challenge by posting a picture or video of your friends, children, students, colleagues, or even yourself enjoying summer fun and learning.

Don't forget to use #SmarterSummers and #SummerLearningWeek in your post. We've also created Summer Learning Week Outreach Toolkit for you to help spread the word and show your support of summer learning opportunities for our nation's kids!
Our National Summer Learning Campaign Across the Country

NSLA is excitied to launch our summer public service campaign featuring 1,000 #KeepKidsLearning digital billboards by Clear Channel Outdoor Am ericas .

In addition, our summer learning PSAs , featuring Dr. Steve Perry, a daytime TV host and "America's educator", will air on approximately 800 iHeartMedia radio stations.
31 States and Counting
A big thank you to all program providers and communities coast-to-coast who've entered their events and/or #summerlearning programs

In Summer 2018, NSLA tracked nearly 1,000 events through August, which served approximately 650,000 youth.
We need you to help us exceed those numbers by posting your events to the tracker. Together we can harness the power of  s ummer learning and keep kids learning, safe, and healthy all season long.
Summer Learning Resources, Tip Sheets & Activities
Summer also is about ensuring our country’s most vulnerable youth have access to good nutrition. By dedicating one day specifically to nutrition and wellness, NSLA draws attention to the fact that the inequities of summer also extend to food security.

According to the Food Research and Action Center, only one in seven youth eligible for summer meal programs receive them, which means many children go hungry when school is not in session. Using No Kid Hungry‘s summer meals texting service, parents, grandparents, and caregivers can text ‘FOOD’ to 877-877 to find free summer meals sites in their neighborhoods. Families can also use the USDA’s Summer Meal Site Finder.
The People’s Moon believes everyone on Earth has a dream. In July 1969 Apollo 11 fulfilled the dreams of all humanity by achieving an ‘impossible’ dream – landing and walking on the moon.

It inspired the world and spurred on inspiration, innovation and technology. The People’s Moon wants you to become part of history this summer. Upload a photo or video message of your statement about your own big dream or giant leap \for the celebration. NSLA’s dream is that every child grows and thrives during the summer? What’s your big dream?
The National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) has created summer learning tip sheets for parents and providers to engage children in fun, meaningful learning activities throughout the summer. Get the tip sheets here.

Additional resources are available in the NCASE Resource Library . NSLA is proud to be a partner organization of NCASE.
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