Summer of Freedom

By LINDA M. LINONIS | linonis@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

For children enrolled in Tabernacle Baptist Church’s Children Defense Fund Summer Freedom School, there will be no boredom, no whining about nothing to do and no endless, mindless playing of video games.

The free summer-literacy program engages the minds and imaginations of its scholars, as its enrolled students are called.

Pastor Christoper McKee Jr. of Tabernacle said the Summer Freedom School grew out of the Children’s Defense Fund founded by Marian Wright Edelman, a civil-rights lawyer and first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar Association.

The first year for Summer Freedom School at Tabernacle was 2014; nationwide, the school is in its 20th year.

Tabernacle’s affiliation with CDF involves training of six interns at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Three are students at Youngstown State University, which Pastor McKee said has partnered with the church. The others are college students who attend Tabernacle. “It’s a cross spectrum of young adults,” the pastor said. “They learn cutting-edge techniques to work with at-risk youth.”

Last year’s success rate at Tabernacle, gauged by CDF assessment tests, showed “95 percent of scholars had no summer reading learning loss” and “all of these scholars maintained a grade level of reading ability and many gained at least an academic year’s worth of reading ability.” Scholars take pre- and post-assessment tests.

Pastor McKee said he and the church membership of some 300 “have a passion for education.” “We know Youngstown schools have challenges,” he said. “It’s up to the community and churches to do whatever we can to help and assist the school district to enrich our children.”

He added that Tabernacle has members who are teachers and retired teachers involved in the effort. The pastor said about 15 volunteers assist, some serving daily.

He said responsibility also is charged to parents, who are asked to attend weekly meetings to keep apprised of program activities. Parents also are encouraged to volunteer.

The school is limited to 50 scholars to ensure the 10 students-to-one instructor ratio. Children enrolled have a full day that runs from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays June 22 to July 31.

After breakfast, the children participate in Harambee, that is, a “gathering time with chants and songs.”

“This gets them moving,” the pastor said, adding it is a time of “affirmation that reading is important.”

A highlight of each day is a read-aloud session presented by a community representative. The pastor said members of city council, police and fire departments, business people and others have read short stories to students. “It’s one person a day for six weeks,” Pastor McKee said, adding the number allows for a great variety of backgrounds

Then the children adjourn to groups representing second through sixth grades. Through CDF’s Summer Freedom School project, the church received a shipment of age-appropriate books for the kids to read. “They don’t just read the books, they analyze and develop a creative skit,” Pastor McKee said. After the presentation, children engage in more analyzing to cultivate problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

After lunch, activities include crafts and outdoor recreation. Field trips this year include Akron Zoo, Great Lakes Science Center Butler Institute of American Art and OH WOW!- The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology downtown.

“The school provides a nurturing environment to promote learning and have fun, too,” Pastor McKee said.

He said funds from Mahoning Valley foundations, businesses and individuals make the school possible.