PWC to partner with the Children’s Defense Fund and the Ford Foundation on 3 Freedom Schools this summer
With support from the Ford Foundation and New York City, we will begin an exciting new partnership this summer with the Children’s Defense Fund, the national child advocacy organization that has promoted a level playing field for all children for over 40 years. Partnership with Children will be running CDF’s “Freedom Schools” program in three of our New York City public school partners in July and August: P.S. 194 in East Harlem, P.S. 67 in Fort Greene and P.S. 165 in Brownsville. Inspired by the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project organized during the Civil Rights Movement, CDF Freedom Schools provide a literacy-rich, joy-filled and empowering summer experience for young people across the country.
This is our first collaboration with CDF Freedom Schools, and we look forward to bringing the curriculum to our communities. In addition to being a unique summer learning opportunity, the program also offers kids the chance to learn from young college students who help facilitate each day’s lesson, known as “Servant Leaders.” All of the Servant Leaders are specially trained by CDF to teach the Integrated Reading Curriculum and to provide front-line care to students. Spending time with these college student leaders adds another layer of enrichment to the program for our children.
Through years of research, Freedom Schools have been proven to stop summer learning loss, and help students make gains in their literacy. The outcomes are impressive, but the combined impact of improvements in literacy with an empowered and engaged group of learners is the dividends our schools and neighborhoods will gain when the program concludes.
We are honored that CDF selected us to introduce the Freedom Schools program in three New York City school communities this year, and we are grateful for the support of the Ford Foundation to help make this opportunity a reality for so many of our students this summer.
For more information about the Children’s Defense Fund and the Freedom Schools program, visit http://www.childrensdefense.org/programs/freedomschools.
