Delaware Joins Thousands of Education Champions across the Country in Celebration of National Summer Learning Week (July 8-13) 

Delaware’s First Lady, Tracey Quillen Carney, Delaware Libraries, and the United Way join the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) in celebrating National SummerLearning Week, a celebration dedicated to elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe and healthy every summer; ensuring young people return to school ready to succeed.

Delawareans can embrace summer learning fun with a series of fun high-energy music shows for children and their families from Turtle Dance Music. All performances are autism/sensory-friendly and co-sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts. Refreshments and water ice will be provided courtesy of the United Way, Delaware Department of Education Summer Food Service Program, and the Brandywine, Christina, Red Clay and Woodbridge School Districts.

Monday, July 8

• 11:00am – Bear Public Library
  Space! The Cosmos for Kids

• 3:00pm – Greenwood Public Library
  The Music, Comedy & Bubble Show

Wednesday, July 10

• 10:00am – Wilmington Public Library
  Space! The Cosmos for Kids

• 2:00pm – Woodlawn Public Library
  Space! The Cosmos for Kids

“Promoting early literacy and school readiness is a critical part of giving all of Delaware’s children a ‘first chance’ to succeed,” said First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney. “The library habit is about literacy, as well as parent-child engagement and access to other services that support strong and healthy families. To support our families and a First Chance for all of our children, I encourage every Delawarean to get and use a Delaware library card.”

So far, 188,648 children’s books have already been checked out this summer! “For more than 40 years — for generations of Delawareans — Delaware libraries have been cultivating reading and learningpassions,” said State Librarian, Dr. Annie Norman. “Whatever your interest, whatever your talent, the library supports it.”

“Summer is a great time for students and their families to engage in activities that nurture a love of reading,” said Schlonn Hawkins, Director, Get Delaware Reading. “United Way is excited to provide resources that will help children avoid summer learning loss and prepare for the upcoming school year.”

National Summer Learning Week aims to unite community organizations, summer learning programs, and families in advocacy efforts and celebrations hosted by hundreds of partner organizations from libraries to museums, parks and recreation centers to civic and non-profit groups all to promote awareness of the power and magic of summer programs to close opportunity gaps among youth throughout the nation.

Recent research from the Rand Corporation and The Wallace Foundation, along with the Aspen Institute and many NSLA award-winning programs, highlight the impact and potential of high-quality, well-organized programs to transform the lives of young people.

“Summer programs provide a unique space in education to pilot, partner, and close our nation’s educational and opportunity gaps,” said Aaron Phillip Dworkin, NSLA CEO. “By coming together as a national community, dedicated to the future success of our youth, we can ensure all kids in America, regardless of zip code and socioeconomic status, receive the opportunity to keep learning and growing allsummer and all year long.”

For a full list of programs or to register for the Summer Library Reading Program visit https://delawarelibraries.org/summerreading. Delaware libraries encourage Delawareans of all ages to track their reading and learning during the summer and throughout life.  A variety of tips, tools, and techniques for tracking individual interests are available on the Unleash Inner Genius guide.

# # #

Summer arts programs are supported by the Delaware Division of Libraries and, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Division of Arts promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com

The Delaware Division of Libraries, a state agency dedicated to unleashing the potential in all Delawareans in partnership with Delaware Libraries and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, offers free access to the online catalog (delawarelibraries.org); Wi-Fi; computers/internet; eBooks; programs/workshops; community partnerships; and more.

Founded in 1946, United Way of Delaware (UWDE) works to advance the common good by focusing on three key areas: Early Education, College and Career Readiness and Financial Stability. UWDE is engaged in a long-term strategy to eliminate the root causes of Delaware’s most pressing social problems in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties. UWDE works collectively with businesses, government, social service agencies, academic groups, community organizations and concerned individuals to establish positive, long-lasting solutions for today and into the future. For more information or to support UWDE, visit www.uwde.org, follow us on Twitter @UnitedWayDE, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UnitedWayofDelaware, or call  (302) 573-3717.

The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) is the only national nonprofit exclusively focused on closing the achievement gap by increasing access to high-quality summer learning opportunities. NSLA recognizes and disseminates what works in summer learning, develops and delivers capacity-building offerings and convenes and empowers key actors to embrace summer learning as a solution for equity and excellence in education. For more information, visit www.summerlearning.org.

Print