Baltimore Program Wins National Award For Summer Learning

August 17, 2019 • Filed under Press Coverage Highlights

The National Summer Learning Association recognized Baltimore’s MERIT mentorship program for high school students interested in medicine.

By Press Release Desk, News Partner |  | 

From National Summer Learning AssociationThe National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) has announced four exceptional summer programs the winners of two coveted national awards: the 2019 New York Life Foundation’s Excellence in Summer Learning Award and the inaugural Lands’ End Love Learning Award.

Out of nearly 250 applicants, the winning programs meet the rigorous criteria for this national recognition that includes helping students cement skills learned during the school year, effective family engagement strategies, and inclusive and innovative programming to serve the diverse needs of children and their families.

From Austin to Baltimore, award honorees spanned the country, providing children with high-quality summer experiences such as using national parks to build the literacy skills of ESL (English as a Second Language) students, pre-med internships and developing valuable social-emotional learnings.

Each of the award-winning programs will receive $10,000, courtesy of the New York Life Foundation and Lands’ End. They also will be recognized in a ceremony at the NSLA’s National Conference in Atlanta on October 21 – 23, 2019.

According to the Wallace Foundation, research evidence suggests that summer breaks contribute to income-based achievement and opportunity gaps for children and youth. However, summertime can also be used to provide programs that support an array of goals for children and youth, including improved academic achievement, physical health, mental health, social and emotional well-being, the acquisition of skills, and the development of interests. See Investing in Successful Summer Programs, a Wallace Foundation report of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

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