Covington, KY – Covington Partners, in partnership with the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), highlighted the importance of summer learning opportunities at a Summer Success Tour on Thursday, July 13. 

Led by the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), National Summer Learning Day is an advocacy day aimed at elevating the importance of keeping all kids learning, healthy and safe during the summer. On this day each year, the country unites in advocacy efforts and celebrations hosted by hundreds of partner organizations from libraries to parks and recreation centers and civic and non-profit groups – all to promote awareness of the importance of keeping kids healthy and engaged during the summer. This year’s goal was to reach two million youth.

Community and business leaders joined Covington Partners and Covington Independent Public Schools for a Summer Success Tour on Thursday, July 13 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.  The group toured the Covington Summer Scholars program at John G. Carlisle Elementary and saw summer learning in action.  The visitors were able to see how this summer’s theme of “Above & Beyond: Activate Your Superpowers” is helping each students recognize their strengths in areas such as math, reading, communication, creativity and citizenship. “We know that student success begins in the summer and we are fortunate to have a community that embraces this idea as well,” said Stacie Strotman, Executive Director of Covington Partners.  The program highlighted how students receive core academic instruction in math, reading and science through hands-on activities that motivate students to learn.  Students also participate in sixty minutes of daily physical activity and receive engaging enrichment activities from community partners such as Kenton County Public Library, the Center for Great Neighborhoods and Skool Aid.

Research shows that summers without quality learning opportunities put our nation’s youth at risk for falling behind – year after year – in core subjects like math and reading. The math and reading skills low-income students lose each summer are cumulative and contribute significantly to the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income kids.  In our community, the Covington Summer Scholars has reversed that trend and become a state and national model for summer learning.  Students who attend the program regularly actually show academic growth over the summer in both reading and math.  In 2016, over 600 students were engaged in meaningful, hands-on learning and enrichment activities over five weeks at elementary schools throughout the city.