Summer Learning Program on the 'RISE' in Gainesville, GA

Photo: Courtesy of Gainesville Housing Authority

For the sixth consecutive summer, the Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) partnered with Brenau University, Gainesville City Schools and United Way to offer RISE ("Real, Interactive, Summer Experience") for at-risk GHA children. RISE, a curriculum-based summer program, addresses summer learning loss levels for children of low-income communities, as well as, the crisis of childhood obesity. Pre-testing reveals that most RISE children begin the summer already behind grade level and summer learning loss makes it even more difficult for them to succeed in their next year. Moreover, low-income children gain weight, on average, three times faster during the summer months, gaining as much weight as they do during the entire school year. The overarching goal for RISE students is to assist them to graduate from high school on time and achieve self-sufficiency as adults with healthy lifestyle habits.

"My son loves RISE and he looks forward to it each year. He has struggled with reading and excelled in math and RISE helps him with both of these. He stays busy with RISE each summer and has such much fun that doesn't even notice he's learning the whole time," says Maria Perez, GHA resident and mom of Ephraim, 3-year RISE participant.

"One of the greatest benefits I've seen from RISE is the confidence it gives our GHA kids with their academics. They get the extra time they need with reading and math - at all ability levels - and are excited about going back to school in the fall. The children like to show their teachers how smart they are and tell all their friends they got to go to summer camp," says Maria Calkins, GHA ROSS Coordinator and RISE Administrator.

RISE measures success through in-house pre- and post- testing in reading, writing and math. The majority of GHA's RISE students maintain or gain ground in reading and math skills and, when they head back to school each August, they are prepared to tackle their academics. The last two years, RISE has collaborated with Gainesville City Schools to collect pre- and post- summer testing data to measure RISE students' performance, once they are back in school. Since 90% of the students attend city schools, the goal is to provide seamless learning opportunities for RISE students, with curriculum planned to parallel the work the children are doing during the regular school year. Once collected, RISE compares the results of all pre- and post- tests to determine gains or losses in skill levels over the summer. This data is used for strategic and curriculum planning for the next summer's RISE program.

"As a district, our mission is to inspire, nurture, challenge, and prepare our students. The RISE Summer Program actively strengthens this mission by addressing summer learning loss, educating children on how to live healthy lives, and providing leadership opportunities for older student mentors," said Gainesville City Schools' Director of Data and Student Assessment, Shea Ray. "The value of these opportunities cannot be monetarily measured but the impact will be far-reaching. We thank RISE for their time, commitment, and tireless efforts to strengthen our community through our children." In addition, all children are weighed and tested in agility, flexibility, strength and endurance at the beginning and at the end of the camp, and although their scores on are not tied exclusively to the camp's active play and nutritious food results suggest that they had a cumulative, positive impact. Also, each year, RISE hires assistant teachers which include GHA teen residents, extending the benefit of this program by providing them with an opportunity for summer employment and the chance to experience being a part of positive social action in their own communities.

GHA serves as the administrative partner and Brenau University as the staffing & curriculum partner as RISE served 110 children this summer. Local education majors and new graduates from Brenau University served as teachers. Eight assistant teachers from low-income families, many living in public housing, supported them. Using an interactive learning environment to reinforce Georgia Standards learning objectives, RISE participants engage in a wide variety of educational and recreational opportunities including reading, writing, math, and computer skills development, supervised field trips, play/fitness activities, and arts and crafts. RISE takes place in GHA's Melrose Community Center and Fair Street School. With the goal of exposing the children to educational and active field trips, they travel each Friday to a different destination: Elachee Nature Center, Chattahoochee River Keeper's Chota Princess (a floating classroom/Lake Lanier boat), Skate Country, Gainesville Bowling Center and Truelove Dairy Farm. The students also attend Frances Meadows Aquatic Center for swimming activities. By having this program in their own community, participants learn to use resources immediately available to develop their minds and bodies. In coordination with RISE partner Gainesville City Schools, teachers provide 5 days a week, 8am-2:30pm, of curriculum-based learning opportunities, reviewing and reinforcing the classroom standards that students need to become successful and confident in school.

"The RISE program has had a tremendous impact on the ability of our youth to begin each school year more confident and better prepared," said Beth Brown, Gainesville Housing Authority, Executive Director. "Our families have learned to trust us and our partners to provide quality services and programs. The success of the program has spread throughout the community resulting in increased funding each year."

To innovatively support and supplement the in-kind partner donations, Brenau and GHA work together to write grants for the funding needed to pay our RISE teachers. This year, $20,000 was raised from United Way of Hall County and $10,000 from Jackson EMC Foundation. The total cost of running the 6-week program is $189,000 or $1,718 per child for classroom space, transportation, two meals a day & snacks, teaching staff and field trips. Because of partner donations, local grants and in-kind donations, RISE is free to GHA residents. Also included in this budget is Gainesville Housing Authority's year-round support and programming for RISE families. GHA is building upon relationships begun with involvement in RISE, creating a year-round support program for these families and offering resources and guidance with the goal of our families moving towards self-sufficiency.

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