What We Did This Summer!

Summer Rising and summer camp shine

Getting in the Basquiat swing of things at Small World summer camp. *Photo courtesy of Small World Early Childhood Center*

Summer Rising 2023 is a partnership between New York City Public Schools and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). It is free and available to all NYC students in grades K-8, pending seat availability. Students enrolled participate Monday to Friday from 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

A teaching artist at P.S. 34 guides her students in theater exercises.

A typical day for students includes a mix of academic support, social emotional learning, and enrichment activities. Academics will be provided by licensed teachers in the morning. Enrichment activities (such as art, sports, and play) will be led by community-based organization staff in the afternoons and on Fridays.

Summer Rising students enjoying their books on the BK Story Voyager

K–5 Summer Rising began on July 5 and ends on August 11. Summer Rising for grades 6–8 also began on July 5, but it ends on August 15.

Participation in St. Nicks Alliance’s Summer Rising and summer camp activities expands with each coming year. This year in Summer Rising they served 1250. 359 were enrolled in their summer camp, and 90 preschoolers were enrolled at Small World.

Pre-K-er at Small World, learns about the cut-out style of Matisse and the Keith Haring’s pop art characters.

“Balancing academic recovery with the creative, playful and exploratory nature of summer camp learning is key to successful Summer Rising experience for children and staff,” stated Debra Sue Lorenzen, St. Nicks Alliance director of Youth and Education.

Small World kids practiced art in the style of Keith Haring, Henri Matisse, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Jackson Pollock.

Pre-K is in the summer art swing of the paint brush at Small World. Here they are learning how to paint like Jackson Pollock.

An excerpt from a parent’s email gives a shout out to the St. Nicks Alliance staff at P.S. 81, “This is the first summer camp that my child went to where they say they’re having so much fun. Those two people you guys have running the camp are so great. Mr. Scott and Ms. Amerie have been nothing short of amazing, my kid loves the two of them and even asked me one time to ask them if they would like to stay with her forever. I say all this to say they’re doing an amazing job.”

Students at P.S. 81 were challenged to wrap their group leader with toilet paper within 5 minutes. Once the time was up whichever group covered their group leader the most from head to toe won the challenge.

“[St. Nicks Alliance’s BK Story Voyager] plays an essential role in Summer Rising and summer camp by providing children with access to books that cater to their interests, are culturally relevant, and are appropriate for their age. The program also promotes reading as a fun and enjoyable activity,” said Madeline Ketcheside, mobile library coordinator.