The Summer Matters Campaign

Our $1.5 million Summer Matters Campaign is an initiative to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to the transformative impact of quality summer programs.

Two young girls standing together in a classroom, smiling, with science projects and posters on the wall behind them.

Why Summer Matters:

Summer is more than just time off.

It’s a crucial opportunity for growth, learning, and connection. Without access to enriching summer programs, many students experience learning loss and unequal opportunities. Quality summer experiences help bridge that gap, keeping students inspired, curious, and prepared for success year-round.

Summer slide erodes learning: both reading and math skills decline significantly, with math especially vulnerable.
Loss compounds over time: small setbacks accumulate, leading to substantial academic lag by mid-elementary school.
Cost remains a major hurdle: affordability continues to be the foremost reason low-income families can’t enroll children in summer programs.
Inequitable access widens gaps: The stark difference in participation rates—38% vs. 67%—shows low-income children are systematically missing out on critical learning opportunities.

What We’re Doing About It:

We’re tackling the summer learning gap head-on through strong partnerships and innovative programming.

Partnering across the county to bring high-quality STEM programming to students of all backgrounds.
Advancing excellence through the nationally recognized Co-Op Summer Enrichment program, setting a standard for what effective, equitable summer learning looks like.
Driving innovation with new initiatives like MOSAIC and Quantum Explorations, designed to expand opportunities and reimagine what summer learning can be.