Children participate in the United Way of Santa Barbara County's 'Fun in the Sun' summer learning program. Courtesy photo.
The United Way of Santa Barbara County has received a prestigious 2012 National Excellence in Summer Learning Award for its Fun in the Sun program, the organization reported this week in a media release.
The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) Award recognizes outstanding summer programs that demonstrate excellence in accelerating academic achievement and promoting healthy development for young people between kindergarten and 12th grade, and will be presented at the organization’s national conference in October.
In collaboration with numerous community partners (72 service delivery partners, 15 funding partners, and 500 volunteer mentors), United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Fun in the Sun (FITS) serves 250 young people for seven weeks each summer. The program is designed to improve academic, social, and behavioral skills in financially and academically at-risk children (ages 7-18) and parents. The FITS program offers a daily emphasis on reading and writing and afternoon enrichment opportunities include activities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), service learning, and field trips.
In 2011, 82 percent of participants showed an average of 2.1 reading grade level gains, according to program evaluation. Parents also receive specialized curriculum through weekly Parent Education workshops.