MPB celebrated our annual Summer Learning Day event on Saturday, June 25. This year's theme was Wild About Learning. With activities varying from creating "creaturpedias" to growing beans, not to mention several special guest appearances, the 2,000 people in attendance were given lots to do - all of it focused on learning. Why hold a summertime fun event focused on learning? The answer is simple - summer learning loss.
Summer learning loss is a common phenomenon that happens each year during the summer break between school years. Beyond simply being out of school, various stressors that specifically impact low-income families lead to an achievement gap that impacts students through the rest of their schooling career. In one telling example, low-income students often fall behind their higher-income peers in reading by two to three months each summer. By hosting our yearly event, MPB helps students stay engaged, happy and educated.
We are very grateful to all the people who came out to us "go wild," and especially to the volunteers and vendors that helped make the event possible. Shelia Brown, Director of Early Childhood, said, "It was my hope ot have a room full of children enjoying the educational activities and to simply have fun. I got what I had hoped for."
Learn more about what you can do with your child throughout the summer at PBS Parents, and more about summer learning loss at the National Summer Learning Association.
