Promise Update: Summer Camp 2023 in Review
Summer Learning
“Summer learning was essential for the scholars. Each day, students learned something new and vital academically, which kept their brains activated while having fun.” –Destiny, CPNYC Counselor
Mornings at summer camp were a little quieter this year! Inside CPNYC classrooms, scholars worked with counselors on educational Summer Bridge activities designed to cultivate a love of learning. Under the supervision of NYC Department of Education certified teachers, the twice-weekly sessions focused on age-appropriate lessons in reading, writing, language arts, math, and science.
Research shows that children can lose, on average, more than two months of knowledge and skills during summer break — in addition to the learning deficits many experienced during the pandemic. During summer learning, we worked to counteract this effect, combining participatory revision sessions with dynamic new material to help prepare scholars for the next grade. To help scholars focus and tune out distractions, counselors also incorporated affirmations, yoga, and meditation into their plans.
Summer camp scholars also went off-site for biweekly fun educational field trips! They learned about visual art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, fashion design at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and the culture and history of Native people at the National Museum of the American Indian. At the Brooklyn and New York Botanic Gardens, scholars discovered local flora, while at the Prospect Park Zoo, they saw wildlife up close and learned about their natural habitats.
Whether in our Brooklyn and Bronx classrooms or on field trips, CPNYC summer camp made learning fun, empowering scholars to return to school this fall with confidence!
CPNYC at The Book of Hov
If you visited the Brooklyn Public Library Central location recently, you may have seen CPNYC scholars’ artwork! The Book of Hov exhibition features hundreds of paper planes created and designed by CPNYC scholars spread across the ceiling of the youth wing. Visitors are encouraged to make their own paper planes under an inspirational Jay-Z verse: “The paper plane teaches you to imagine."
Thank you to our partners at Roc Nation for the opportunity! The installation – created to celebrate the life and work of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter – is free and open to the public through October.
The Sleepaway Camp Experience
This August, CPNYC scholars boarded a bus to the Pocono Mountains for an unforgettable experience: sleepaway camp! Forty scholars had the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of activities in the great outdoors at their home away from home for the week, Inspire Sports Camps.
Campers grew their skills on the soccer field and basketball court, tried their hand at bouldering and archery, and hiked into the woods for a thrilling ropes course and zipline rides. And what would camp be without plenty of lake and pool time? Scholars loved canoeing and flying down the water slide — some even learned how to swim!
Spending time away from home in an unfamiliar environment can be challenging for young people, but as they got to know the other campers and counselors, we were proud to see our scholars open up. One told us, "I did things I’d never done before at camp! I talked a lot to people and became more confident." At the end of the week, they returned home full of stories about fun-filled days and nights spent under the stars with new friends, ready to return next summer!
In the Studio with Jenn Carter and TaTa
Imagine if when you were a teenager, you had the opportunity to hang out with your favorite artists. That dream came true for some CPNYC scholars when they were surprised by drill rappers Jenn Carter and TaTa at Manhattan Beach Recording! The talented up-and-coming artists spent quality time with our teens, discussing their experiences growing up in Brooklyn and sharing wisdom about overcoming obstacles they have faced.
The rappers collaborated with scholars to film TikToks and sing their favorite songs in the studio, giving them an exciting window into the songwriting and remix production process. Spending the afternoon at one of New York’s premier recording studios also allowed scholars to learn about potential career paths firsthand from studio staff and artist management. There are so many ways to be part of the music industry!
Thank you to Jenn Carter, TaTa, Manhattan Beach Recording, RiteOrWrong KVH Entertainment, and Nish Baig for creating this incredible experience for our scholars.
Cooking Shop
It’s never too early to learn healthy eating and cooking habits! In Cooking Shop, our eight and nine-year-old Brooklyn scholars learned how to prepare simple, healthful, and nourishing snacks. During hands-on lessons, scholars worked together to follow recipes and develop knife-free cooking skills. Then came the best part: tasting and sharing their yummy creations, like cracker snacks with a variety of toppings and fresh strawberry lemonade!
CPNYC counselor Mikyla McLawrence trained with Common Threads to launch the program, which aims to teach children about nutrition, increase fruit and vegetable consumption, and add variety to their plates. Our scholars loved creating colorful “My Plate” charts to identify and illustrate healthy plates of food! All recipes include easily accessible, affordable products – including pantry staples and canned goods – so children can keep making their new favorite snacks at home this fall.
A Day at Gracie Mansion
We were honored to be invited to the Mayor’s residence, Gracie Mansion, this August. During our tour of the landmark house — which dates back to 1799 — scholars explored rooms where history was made. They learned the significance of the cultural artifacts and artwork on display, including their favorite: a baseball-sized iron cannonball from the Revolutionary War, excavated from Mansion grounds.
Afterward, author Willie Mae Brown joined us to discuss growing up in Alabama during the height of the civil rights movement and read passages from her powerful memoir, My Selma. And to end this special day, legendary breakdancing crew Dynamic Rockers treated our scholars to a thrilling performance and breaking lesson!
Project DREAM Update
This summer, CPNYC mentors and mentees had a blast attending New York Liberty and Yankees games, joining Service Collective volunteers for a backyard beautification day, going on field trips, and coming together for an end-of-summer cookout!
Become a mentor to join the fun and create a positive impact in the life of a scholar! We’re currently seeking new mentors, particularly bilingual (Spanish and English) mentors for our Bronx-based scholars and male mentors in Brooklyn. To learn more, click here or email Kara Rodriguez, Mentor Engagement Coordinator.
In Case You Missed It…
>>> We ended summer camp with a splash — a trip to Splish Splash Water Park, thanks to the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation!
>>> Our generous partners at PEAK6 joined us to distribute new Chromebooks, backpacks, and school supplies to scholars!
>>> CPNYC founder Sharon Content spoke to City & State New York about fostering children’s relationships with their incarcerated parents.