After two summers of COVID, our scholars had felt somewhat isolated from the community. With our goal of launching an Academy, we realized that this summer was a great time to explore new things and encourage scholars to learn about the world.
Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore ran a summer program that highlighted how learning and exploring together could yield beneficial results. Many promising concepts of the Boys Hope Girls Hope Network Strategic Plan were at work.
The Network plan focuses on the expansion and launch of Academies and the power of scholars learning by doing — united by a re-tooled My Road curriculum. Strategic growth will be realized by adding cohorts of scholars in the same age groups and focusing on group activities to supplement individualized attention. A new grant by the John Templeton Foundation will further help Boys Hope Girls Hope test how this approach can impact curiosity, perseverance, and purpose. Outcomes over the summer in Baltimore and St. Louis were encouraging.
Baltimore Tests the Waters
For Baltimore, whose programming is currently exclusively residential, the summer offered a unique opportunity to test the waters for what is hoped to be the launch of their first out-of-school-time Academy in 2023.
The Baltimore team designed activities that scholars could do together on-site as well as out in the community from June to August. “We focused on how to provide education outside of the classroom,” Hackbarth said.
Academic time took on a STEM focus, including a Bio Bootcamp with Johns Hopkins University and a three-part health series with Siemens Healthineers, complete with an opportunity for scholars to learn how to conduct X-rays through virtual reality goggles.
Scholars tended a garden together to learn life preparedness, stayed fit by swimming at the local Y, and did community service for Our Daily Bread hot meal program.
Once a week, there was a learning field trip, which included the beach in Ocean City, Zoo, Washington, D.C. monuments, Baltimore Ravens training camp, and college visits for rising seniors.
The mix of group activities and individualized attention yielded strong results. “You really see all our scholars have bonded even more by doing activities together,” Hackbarth said. “The scholars also have formed stronger relationships with our team, who in turn felt very fulfilled about their role.”
This snippet is from an article written by Bill Fronczak, VP of Advancement for Boys Hope Girls Hope Network Headquarters. The full version can be found here.