Led by the Colorado Education Initiative and Early Milestones Colorado, the Recovery Summer Coalition was formed in February 2021 to develop channels of support for a summer response to the short- and long-term impacts to student learning and social and emotional needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eleven programs have been selected to receive funding for regional equity-centered efforts that leverage the upcoming summer for supporting Colorado children and families. These grants were made possible by $350,000 in joint funding from Caring for Colorado Foundation and Rose Community Foundation. Communities that will benefit from this programming are shown in the accompanying map.
Facing unprecedented challenges created by more than a year of global pandemic conditions, the grantees listed below have demonstrated creativity in engaging with the students and families who most need enhanced offerings. Funds will help these organizations strengthen and expand programs to provide more equitable access and support ahead of the 2021-2022 academic year. These grantees were selected in June 2021 to receive between $10,000 and $40,000 for community- and place-based initiatives. An estimated 4,000 youth will be impacted by the efforts of nearly 75 organizations.
The Recovery Summer Coalition aims to use successes and lessons learned from these initiatives to fuel future system-level innovation for engaging students and families both during and outside the traditional school year.
Partners
- Colorado Vaccine Equity Taskforce
- Tri-County Health Department
- Clinica Family Health
- HealthOne
- North Suburban Medical Center
- Mile High United Way
- United for Schools
- Five Star Foundation
- City of Thornton
- Adams County 4-H
- The PEAK Learning Center
- Cooking Matters
Program Description
Providing opportunities for academic enrichment, offering students a broad array of services, programs, and activities designed to reinforce and complement school-year instructional strategies. This initiative also aims to meet technology-specific needs for participating students.
Partners
- Two schools in Pueblo School District 60
- Pueblo School District 60 Food Services
- Pueblo City and County Library Branches
Program Description
Meeting the needs of working families through increased hours (additional 2.5 hours daily) and number of youth served (additional 60 youth daily). Programs aim to improve social and emotional wellness, math and literacy, and meaningful family engagement, confidence, and capacity.
Partners
- Pueblo School District 60
- Baca Elementary
- Columbian Elementary
- CCDP
- Pueblo County Department of Human Services
- YWCA
Program Description
Using summer enrichment programs to help children feel ready to engage in school after experiencing isolation and other academic difficulties created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This will include social-emotional support for children, community partnerships, direct-to-family funding programs, and support navigating available resources.
Partners
- Denver Public Schools
- Jefferson County School District
- 27J Schools
- Poudre School District
- Pueblo School District 60
Program Description
Supporting high school attainment and transitions through increased access to summer academic enrichment and credit recovery; strengthening 8th to 9th grade transition programming; and expanding transition supports to rising 10th graders.
Partners
- ReSchool
- Enduring Ideas
Program Description
Supporting immigrant and refugee youth and families with assistance in navigating systems, self-advocacy, and addressing trauma and mental health related needs.
Partners
- East Grand School District
- West Grand School District
- North Park School District
- Early Childhood Council
- Grand Beginnings
- Mountain Family Center
Program Description
Increasing social-emotional and nutritional resources for families furthest from opportunity to support their health and overall well-being.
Program Description
Providing students access to onsite or virtual mental health supports, including individual and small group counseling.
Partners
- Roaring Fork School District
- Summer Advantage USA
- Colorado Department of Education
- USDA Summer Food Program
- Focused Kids
- Valley Settlement
- Mountain Family Health Centers
- Food Bank of the Rockies
- Aspen Skiing Company
- Manaus Fund
- Garfield County
- City of Carbondale
- Town of Basalt
- Basalt Education Foundation
- Basalt Gives
- Pitkin County
- City of Aspen
- Caring Community Fund
- ACF Covid Relief Fund
- 2020 Rescue Fund
Program Description
Collaborating with recreational partners to provide Friday field trips and Outdoor Experiential Learning with a focus on expanding support to include 6th graders and increasing social and emotional training.
Partners
- The Powerhouse (science center in Durango)
- Jump Start Summer Learning Program (Durango School District)
- Tri-County Head Start
- Compaňeros
- Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County
Program Description
Expanding engagement and improved academic performance for students who traditionally have difficulty accessing summer learning opportunities. Community partners will build on relationships with youth-serving organizations to provide richer experiences for students and parents and expand work in Outlying Communities (Aztec (NM), Cortez, Ignacio, Mancos, Pagosa Springs, Silverton, and Towaoc).
Partners
- San Juan BOCES (Mancos and Montezuma-Cortez school districts)
- Medicine Horse Center
- Montezuma Youth Alliance
- The Piñon Project
Program Description
Empowering and supporting students to improve confidence, communication, respect for others, empathy, problem-solving, and their ability to self-regulate, while also providing accessible academic and enrichment support ahead of the next school year.
Program Description
Providing purposeful summer programming to 16 early childhood education (ECE) students in a socio-economically disadvantaged area and eliminating cost and travel barriers. This effort will evaluate the mobile ECE model for program expansion to other underserved communities, grow partnerships to connect parents with tools and services; and develop a clear network accessible to parents.
Colorado Education Initiative