The authors describe and analyze the strengths and challenges of a 10-year summer writing program that provides out-of-school academic support for adolescent writers who are not yet college and career ready. The two-week program takes place at the university where faculty and school district English language arts teachers work with approximately…

Many teens today feel as though they have limited opportunities to prove to society that they can make positive and meaningful contributions to their communities. They are presented with few opportunities to make important choices and decisions regarding their lives and communities and often have no mechanisms in their everyday lives to help them…

In this important resource, Dr. Fleming (a noted expert in the field of minority retention) draws on educational evaluations she has developed in the course of her distinguished career. This book analyzes the common factors and the role institutional characteristics play in minority student retention to show what really works in increasing…

This report identifies the different settings in which summer programs for disadvantaged youth most commonly take place--schools, parks and recreation departments, community--and faith-based organizations, and child-care programs-- and examines the limitations and opportunities presented by each in building better programming. It reviews broadly…

The National Summer Learning Association is the only national organization that focuses exclusively on learning during the summer months. It works to ensure that children and youth in high-poverty communities have access to quality summer learning opportunities that support their academic performance and healthy development through hands-on…

This report describes the implementation of the DC 21st Century Learning Centers (DC 21st CCLC) Summer 2000 program, which enrolled about 1,000 children attending 9 middle and junior high schools. The report is designed to provide feedback to managers of the DC 21st CCLC program and to inform Children and Youth Investment Partnership, of which DC…

Project ALERT was conducted by the Atlanta Public School system for the third consecutive year during the summer of 1985. An education for employment component of the Summer Youth Employment Program, Project ALERT represents a concentrated effort to address problems that have contributed to the high unemployment rate among economically…

The 10-day 1980 National Leadership Conference sponsored and administered by the American Youth Foundation, was held at Camp Miniwanca (Michigan) for 123 youth participants representing four cities (Indianapolis, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis). The theme was leadership (the leader as servant and guide who helps a group to achieve their ends,…

The Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP) is an innovative 4-year year-round pilot program that provides learning opportunities, development opportunities, service opportunities, and summer jobs to small groups of youth from families receiving public assistance. In 1994, the Ford Foundation commissioned an evaluation of the QOP. Between 1989 and…

This article describes and assesses the effectiveness of a 3-yr, laboratory-based summer science program to improve the academic performance of inner-city high school students. The program was designed to gradually introduce such students to increasingly more rigorous laboratory experiences in an attempt to interest them in and model what…

The Summer Academic Skills Enhancement Program was funded by the Private Industry Council (PIC) of Franklin County (Ohio) through the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to provide JTPA clients with the reading comprehension and language mechanics skills required for employment in entry-level positions. The program was coordinated by the…

The issues facing urban Appalachian children and their families in Cincinnati (Ohio) are addressed. Appalachians have the highest school dropout rate in Cincinnati proportionate to their numbers, with low access to jobs and generally poor access to, and use of, public services. Much of the information for this report comes from a survey of 246…

An independent evaluation of the Career Explorations program found it to be worthy of both continuation and replication. Career Explorations is a summer youth program operated by Hunter College (New York) in cooperation with The Coalition of 100 Black Women, and supported by The Commonwealth Fund. Its aim is to help minority New York City high…

Project Atlantans Learning Employment Responsibilities Together (ALERT) was conducted by the Atlanta (Georgia) Public School System, in 1991, for the ninth consecutive year. Project ALERT is an education component of the Summer Youth Employment Program that represents a concerted effort to address problems associated with the high unemployment…

The Summer Training and Education Program (STEP) research demonstration was initiated in 1984 to test the effects of a two-summer remediation, work, and life skills intervention on the lives of 14- and 15-year-olds from poor urban families who were already seriously behind academically. The program provided youth with half-day summer jobs combined…