The Awesome Power of Summer: Empowering Kids and Teens Through High-Quality Camps

By Jaime Garcia

As the school year is now in full swing, the memories of summer afternoons spent at Barton Springs pool and enjoying snow cones at Jim-Jim's Water-Ice are slowly fading. In their place, a feeling of excitement for the ongoing school year is growing. But it's important not to disregard the positive impact that summer learning has had on the academic and personal development of our children. Summer camps kept kids and teens actively engaged in learning throughout the break, a time when statistics show they are at greater risk of falling behind academically.

The beauty of summer camps is they captivate children with fun and exciting activities. Using themes, like superheroes, and hands-on experiences, like constructing a spider web, they can introduce children to complex concepts, like geometry and angles. By incorporating learning into engaging experiences, they effectively combat "summer slide" that can erode the knowledge and skills acquired during the school year. Continuing to learn during summer ensures a smoother transition to the next school year, empowering children to excel academically.

The Learn All the Time Partners, a collaborative of 37 afterschool and summer organizations in the Austin area, shines as an example of organizations that recognize the importance of uninterrupted learning. The partners aim to provide exceptional learning opportunities for all youth beyond the confines of the traditional classroom setting.

Each partner is dedicated to upholding high standards of excellence. Following quality practices helps to create summer learning experiences that prioritize safety, relationships, inclusivity and empowerment, leading to positive outcomes for campers.

For example, consider the kids who attend the summer camp at the Andy Roddick Foundation (ARF), the backbone organization for the Learn All the Time Partners. These campers improve their scores on standardized tests and outpace their peers in reading, math, writing and science; miss fewer days of school; have fewer disciplinary referrals; and grow in self-confidence, resilience and sense of belonging.

Campers who attend summer camp at ARF improve their scores on standardized tests and outpace their peers in reading, math, writing and science; miss fewer days of school; have fewer disciplinary referrals; and grow in self-confidence, resilience and sense of belonging.

The partners recently surveyed 708 kids and teens attending one of their summer camps, asking if they had an adult at the camp who cared about them. Such connections have been shown to enhance resilience to trauma and stress, reduce engagement in risky behavior, and increase levels of well-being and belonging. The results revealed that a staggering 98 percent of them affirmed having a caring adult at the camp. The following firsthand account illustrates the academic and social growth that occurs when children form meaningful connections with adults and participate in enriching activities.

In 2018, a fourth-grade girl's father was deported, leading her to feel saddened and struggle academically. Seeking solace, she joined the summer camp at ARF and channeled her emotions into writing poems about her father. This creative outlet allowed her to feel a sense of connection with him. According to her mother, the camp played a crucial role in helping her daughter rediscover joy and laughter.

This is just one example that shows why the 2023 Texas Legislature allocated $5 million over the next two years to provide proactive mental health support for children and teenagers through summer camps and afterschool activities. These investments will not only bring about immediate positive changes for our children’s mental health but also pave the way for a more prosperous future for both our children and our entire community. That’s because each dollar allocated outside the classroom yields $3 in future savings. The profound impact of such investments elevates children's earning potential, improves their academic achievements, and notably diminishes crime and juvenile delinquency rates. 

The legislature should be commended for making this historic and impactful investment in youth and communities beyond the classroom. At the same time, it's important to recognize that although this is a positive step forward, there are more than 1.5 million young people in Texas still waiting for the opportunity to attend a summer camp.  

The importance of summer learning should never be underestimated. Let's embrace the incredible impact of summer learning and commit to providing all children with accessible and affordable summer camps of the highest quality. When we do, we empower them to unlock their full potential. It is our responsibility to ensure that each and every one receives nothing less.