Summer Learning Loss

May brings the end of school and the start of summer fun for all of our boys and girls at the Club. Enjoying the nice weather, we love the chance to get outside and active after a long winter. With all the physical and mental health pluses that come with the nice weather and end of the school year, there is an unfortunate downside known as summer learning loss. Many parents, and students, can agree that after three months without school there is likely some knowledge lost, but it is actually a bigger number than most think. Jennifer A. Kampmann, Assistant Department Head for the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership at South Dakota State University, shared some information on this subject.

“What we know about summer learning loss is this, by the summer following third grade students lose nearly 20% of their gains in reading and 27% of their gains in math. Summer learning loss increases with age through elementary and middle school. By the end of seventh grade learning loss is up to 36% in reading and 50% in math.” To help combat this drastic learning loss that occurs in the summer for students The Club has implemented the Power UP program, which according to Kampmann, “helps youth identify strategies that work best for the unique ways they learn and provide them with minds-on learning activities that allow them to capitalize on their strengths.”

The Boys & Girls Club of Yankton had 50 members participate during the 2018 summer. When surveyed, 98% of those who attended felt that Power UP helped them get ready for school.

One of our four core values at The Boys and Girls Club is to be impact driven, which means we believe that every person, youth, and staff can reach their full potential when guided by high expectations and impact driven decisions. This value doesn’t go away in the summer and we want to continue pushing our youth to be the best they can be. As well as setting them up as best we can for the upcoming school year and years to come.

Interested in Power UP? Contacts are listed below for each Club.

Brookings – Matt Sass, Elementary Director 605-692-3333

Moody County – Bekah Bambas, Unit Director 605-573-0150

Yankton – Josh Klimek, Executive Director 605-668-9710