Education
Op-ed: What Summer Rising is doing for my kids and I
BY DILONNA C. LEWIS
Last April, when my two
youngest children—Benjamin,
6, and Isabella, 9—returned
to in-person learning
at P.S. 183 in Manhattan,
they actually cried tears of
joy. They were so excited to
be back with their friends and
teachers, and they knew they
would learn more in school
than they could remotely on
their devices at home.
So when I began to hear
about the City’s plans to create
an all-day, universal summer
program called “Summer
Rising” beginning in July, I
learned all I could about it,
and then signed them up. It
made so much sense because
my kids were just getting into
the groove of being back in
school, and now they would
have the chance to keep that
momentum going in ways that
would be fun, safe, and academically
supportive.
Although P.S. 183 wasn’t
offering Summer Rising due
to planned construction, we
were able to enroll Benjamin
and Isabella at nearby P.S. 158.
As luck would have it, their
P.S. 183 principal is actually
head of their Summer Rising
academics, and they also know
many of their classmates.
Summer Rising days are
long ones—in a good way!
The program runs from 8:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays,
which is great for all of us parents
who have full-time jobs.
When they fi rst arrive, the
kids have a nutritious breakfast
COURIER L 16 IFE, JULY 30-AUG. 5, 2021
that they devour. Then
at 8:30there are specifi c exercises
that focus on subjects
like language skills or writing.
Around 9:00 they will
have a group lesson in music,
movement, or art, followed by
some combination of math, literacy,
and science. Later they
may do a deep exploration of
a certain subject. This part is
a household favorite, because
Isabella had the opportunity
to be the teacher for a reading
lesson! She’s big on performing
in front of others so she really
loved that!
The learning has been very
engaging, including learning
about other cultures, fi nding
out how ecosystems work, and
different kinds of applied science
activities. Isabella has
found math challenging in
the past, but says she has been
picking things up faster this
summer because they have
been teaching her concepts
through games she enjoys.
In the afternoons, the program
is turned over to the
community-based-organization
Child Study Center, which
oversees outdoor sports like
volleyball, basketball, and
Hula Hoop contests, as well as
other activities like a carnival
and visits to the ice cream
truck. And I know Summer Rising
programs have made great
use of the city’s museums,
parks and other resources for
amazing fi eld trips.
I know that many families
are understandably concerned
about health and safety both
this summer and in the fall.
All I can say is that at our children’s
Summer Rising program,
everyone is extremely
vigilant about following protocols
like masking and distancing.
My Benjamin told me that
there was a little boy in his
class who kept taking off his
mask. Their teacher sat down
with the boy and talked about
how important it is to keep it
on because we are part of a
community and we take care
of each other. That worked, so
I am very confi dent that the
grown-ups are really on top of
health and safety.
At the end of the long day,
both Benjamin and Isabella
come home with smiles on
their faces and lots to say, although
Benjamin usually has
a snack and then falls asleep
not long after he gets home.
There’s no question that Summer
Rising is doing so much to
help them hit the ground running
in the fall. By keeping
our kids with their peers and
teachers after a choppy remote
learning experience last year,
they won’t be starting from
scratch in September, as they
otherwise might have been.
One other thing that I love
about Summer Rising is the
fact that it’s universal: every
student in New York City
schools can attend regardless
of income level, grades, or anything
else. That in and of itself
builds community. I was speaking
to parents who can afford
an expensive, fancy camp out
of state, but they enrolled their
kids here because they really
wanted the academic support
provided under Summer
Rising. So I really think we
should build on that inclusive
aspect and keep Summer Rising
around permanently, so
that all children in the future
can experience what my kids
have this summer.
Dillonna C. Lewis is a public
school parent and co-executive
director of the Welfare Rights
Initiative at Hunter College
At the end of the long day, both Benjamin and Isabella come home
with smiles on their faces and lots to say.
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On Commencement
Day last month, I joined
15 Kingsborough faculty
members traveling across
Brooklyn, Staten Islands,
and The Bronx, bringing
cheer and congratulations
to 23 graduates of the class
of 2021 and their families at
their homes. I was fortunate
to visit two graduates
who would receive their
college degrees later that
day and their high school
diploma a few days later.
One of these students was
Brian Lakhtarnik and his
mother. In a few hours after
my visit, he would be a college
graduate and, in a matter
of days, he would not
only receive his high school
diploma but do so as the Salutatorian
of his graduating
class. If that wasn’t incredible
enough, he told me
that his goal is to go to law
school and devote his life to
fighting for women’s rights!
His mom, Lina Goldberg-
Lakhtarnik, beamed with
pride. It was clear that she
did such a great job raising
this young man and that
Kingsborough Early College
Secondary School (KECSS)
did a great job preparing
him too.
KECSS is one of several
high schools across our city
offering students an opportunity
to get a head start
on their college education
–- tuition-free. At KECSS,
a grade 6-12 school, college
prep begins in the middle
grades, and students
take their first collegelevel
courses in the summer
before entering ninth
grade. Upperclassmen take
courses at Kingsborough
Community College (KCC)
to earn an associate degree
in liberal arts. The school
was founded in September
2006 through a partnership
with the Early College Initiative
of the City University
of New York (CUNY).
High school students have
access to KCC’s theater,
playing fields, science labs,
computer labs, art studios,
and more. The high school
has an advisory program
to help students keep up
with the academic and behavioral
expectations of
college coursework.
The school collaborates
with other schools to offer
Advanced Placement
courses. Most students who
graduate with an associate
degree go on to achieve
their bachelor’s degree.
KECSS provides students
and families with college
awareness opportunities,
including college trips and
student workshops.
Another benefit, whether
a student receives an
associate degree or college
credits as they enter fouryear
colleges, is that their
cost of a college degree is
significantly reduced because
they participated in
the Early College program.
In addition, the experience
builds the student’s confidence
in their ability to be
successful at the college
level. I have no doubt that
Brian is ready and will be
successful during the next
leg of his educational journey!
Dr. Claudia V. Schrader
is president of Kingsborough
Community College (KCC),
a 72-acre academic oasis located
in beautiful Manhattan
Beach, Brooklyn.
EDUCAT I O N PROFI LE
High Schoolers Get an Early Start on Higher Ed
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