In summer 2022, Brockport Summer Learning served 51 students from the Rochester City School District at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester. Within city-limits, we provided five weeks of summer programming anchored in Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education, Social and Emotional Learning, Project-Based Learning (PBL), and literacy development facilitated by four SUNY Brockport graduate literacy interns.

It is always a humbling experience to reflect upon the summer and all that we have accomplished. We emphasize the word “we” since our successes can only be attributed to the synthesis of individual contributions. This summer’s theme was “I am, We are,” anchored in who we are as individuals and who we are as a community. This reminds us that each one of us contribute to the greater good in our own ways, and as a collective, “we” are empowered and offer something different.

For summer 2022, we officially changed our name from SummerLEAP to Brockport Summer Learning. We did this to recognize the recent adaptations on our local out-of-school time community. In addition, this change reflects our commitment to students and families that extends throughout the year, not just during the summer. Although our current programming occurs in July and August, planning for the next summer begins in early September. The initial steps in providing effective summer programming begins with maintaining connections with families, schools, and teachers throughout the year. The competencies and skills that our students experience in the summer months, are life assets and the foundation for continued growth.

This summer was also one of evolvement. Our program expanded in several areas:

  • Enrollment: An additional classroom of 10 students, 1 lead teacher, 1 teaching assistant
  • Program hours: 2 hours added to the program day—resulting in 50 hours of additional programming
  • Nutrition: Hiring a meal coordinator and providing a full breakfast and lunch
  • Enrichment programming: Facilitating 5 community-based excursions

We would also like to recognize and thank our partners for supporting us in meeting our goals for effective and high-quality summer programming:

  • The Research Foundation for SUNY at SUNY Brockport
  • Department of Education and Human Development
  • School of Education, Health, and Human Services
  • The Children’s School of Rochester #15
  • The United Way of Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes
  • First Unitarian Church of Rochester
  • Education Success Foundation
  • Encompass Resources for Learning
  • Rochester City School District
  • RCSD Office of School Innovation
  • Farash Foundation
  • Rochester Education Foundation
  • Rochester Area Community Foundation
  • Greater Rochester Afterschool and Summer Alliance
  • Teaching & Leadership Institute at East High
  • SewGreen Rochester
  • First Student
  • First Unitarian Church Volunteers
  • Brockport Downtown and the REOC
  • Rochester Ecological Partners
  • NYS Parks Department

For more information, please contact: summerleapbrockport@gmail.com