"Too many children are losing too much ground over summer vacation, especially low-income children... This is not a school problem; this is a community problem, and we've got to organize ourselves to solve that."

-Ralph Smith

Executive Vice President, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Re-brand Summer as an Opportunity for Learning:

Avoid the Slide and get ahead this summer by reading 4-6 books with your child

The Summer Scholars Program at Gifford Youth Activity Center provides tutoring using the Sonday and Fundations literacy programs

The Campaign for Grade Level Reading, a national movement spearheaded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, singles out the Summer Slide (knowledge lost over summer break) as one of the three key components in literacy achievement.  Indian River County and The Learning Alliance were recently recognized by the Foundation as a National Pace Setter for their Summer Scholars program, a literacy tutoring program piloted at Boys & Girls Club and Gifford Youth Activity Center last summer. Building on the program's overwhelming success, this year's Summer Scholars is delving deeper into literacy skills to include vocabulary, comprehension and writing components for their scholars. 

Expanding the Summer Slide-stopping strategies to reach out to all Indian River County families with young children, The Learning Alliance is offering free Text Alert Tips.  These weekly text messages are designed to keep young minds engaged and learning. Parents and caregivers can sign up now to receive weekly, brain-sharpening tips based on each child's grade level. Here's how easy it is to do it:

1.  Send a text to: (772) 617-6474.

2.  Enter your child's upcoming grade level as follows:

Pre-K:  @prektips

Kindergarten:  @tipsforK

Grade 1:  @tipsfor1st

Grade 2:  @tipsfor2nd

Grade 3:  @tipsfor3rd

3.  Tell all of your friends and neighbors to sign up, too!

You're all set to receive a text alert each week, with a helpful tip on how to ensure your child can beat the Summer Slide and be ready when the next school year starts.  

 For details on Text Alert Tips or other ways you can help your children, grandchildren, neighborhood kids and friends STOP the Summer Slide, contact me at jennifer@moonshotmoment.org or visit:

Students can lose up to 25% of their reading level over the summer.

Lower-income students can lose as much as 40% of their reading level in the summertime.

Students can lose up to three months of their overall education during the summer.

The losses are cumulative; by 5th grade, students can fall behind one whole grade level in their education.

Reading 4-6 books over the summer can prevent the slide, and can actually increase a student's reading level.