Sixteen CBO’s receiving up to $75,000 to serve Seattle youth, July-August 

Sixteen community-based organizations will serve nearly 900 students this summer through funding awarded by the Seattle Department of Education & Early Learning (DEEL). Programs are supported by a $1 million Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy investment and will primarily serve students within the FEPP Levy focus populations including students of color, youth from immigrant and refugee backgrounds, and those not yet meeting grade-level standards. In 2022, over 80 percent of student survey responses reported better preparedness for school, following summer learning. 

Preparing Students for College and Careers 

Summer programs are an opportunity for young people to build academic skills, express themselves, connect with friends, and explore college or career interests. Research shows summer programs can accelerate learning, mitigate learning loss between school breaks, and foster social and emotional development. This year’s planned activities include math, language arts, social justice advocacy, financial literacy, mentorship, outdoor field trips, sports, and filmmaking. 

DEEL tracks investment results using a Results-Based Accountability (RBA) framework to measure data and inform programs and policies to improve education outcomes for Seattle children, youth, and families. Summer programs support DEEL in achieving RBA across four result areas:  

• All families have access to high-quality, affordable child care.  
• All Seattle children are kindergarten ready.  
• All Seattle students graduate from high school college-and-career ready.  
• All Seattle students achieve a postsecondary degree, certificate, or credential by age 26. 

Stemtac Foundation will partner with Engageable Designs to host math camps for third through eighth-grade students using history and technology to strengthen confidence in their mathematical skills. “As people of color who serve diverse students, we approach learning by ensuring students see themselves reflected in their studies. Students learn about contributions people of color have made, and continue to make, to advance science and mathematics,” said Al Herron, Executive Director of Stemtac Foundation. Akin Alston, Founder, Vice President, and Master Teacher of Engageable Designs added, “We teach the Chinese SuanPan Abacus, Japanese Soroban Abacus, and ancient Hindu Sutras and Vedic Mathematics and Tower of Hanoi of Vietnam as part of our program.” 

Refugee Women’s Alliance’s (ReWA) Summer STEAM program will develop resiliency and confidence in refugee youth navigating the challenges of adapting to a new school system, learning English, and adjusting to a new place. “While parents work hard to make ends meet and integrate into American society, children also face their own challenges. Many refugee youth feel disconnected and isolated, which makes it difficult for them to dream of a bright future,” said Mahnaz Eshetu, Executive Director of ReWA. “Students will engage in hands-on science, technology, and art projects that will help them dream of possibilities for their future as they discover new interests and capabilities.”   

What students said about Summer Learning Enhancement  

Last year, DEEL funded eighteen community-based summer learning programs. Student feedback is an asset-based measure DEEL uses to assess the impact and quality of programs. Survey feedback from 1,059 youth served by DEEL’s 2022 summer learning investments showed more than eight out of 10 students felt better prepared for school and had an overall positive experience.

Multimedia Resource & Training Institute (MMRTI) will receive DEEL funding for a second year to support a documentary filmmaking and photography program for immigrant, refugee, and students of color ages 10 through 18. Students will direct and produce films on topics of their choice while learning a range of digital media skills. The following film was created by students in MMRTI’s summer program and explored the intersections of food justice, education, and economic development at a Yesler Terrace community garden. 

Summer Learning Enhancement Funds Awardees

The following list includes a description of winning organizations and program proposals for 2023. All programs will serve a range of students from the FEPP Levy focus populations:  

• Atlantic Street Center, (Council District (CD) 2), $75,000: Summer Academy provides third- through ninth-graders instruction in reading, writing, and math along with social skill building and cultural enrichment activities. 
• Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, (CD 2), $75,000: The Work, Learn & Earn program provides sixth- through eighth-grade students of color with job experience and lessons in financial literacy. Participation will be grounded in culturally relevant projects grounded in real-life applications.    
• El Centro de la Raza, (CD 2), $75,000: The Echale Ganas Summer Institute provides sixth through eighth-grade Hispanic and Latino students with academic and enrichment experiences. Lessons are project-based and self-selected, ensuring youth have a voice and choice in their activities.    
• Empowering Youth & Families Outreach, (CD 2), $75,000: Summer Leadership Institute will equip kindergarten through eighth-grade with the confidence and self-awareness to distinguish themselves as leaders and provide academic support, weekly field trips and physical activities.   
• Kandelia, (CD 3), $75,000: The Summer Academy serves ninth- through 12^th-grade immigrant and refugee students enrolled at Seattle World School. The program will engage students in hands-on projects and projects-based field to improve English language proficiency and increase awareness of physical and social-emotional health by engaging students in hands-on projects and project-based field tips led by Seattle Urban Nature Guides.   

• Mentoring Urban Students & Teens (MUST), (CD’s 1,2,3,7), $50,000: Boys in grades nine through 12 will be paired with a M.U.S.T mentor who will work with the student and their family, focusing on goal-oriented activities to promote and support student’s social-emotional development. 
• Multimedia Resource & Training Institute (MMRTI), (CD 3,5), $75,000: MMRTI Summer Youth Media Program will introduce sixth- through 12^th-grade students to a range of digital technology while they work together to explore their expressive “voice” through photography, digital storytelling, and video in the form of documentary production.   
• OneWorld Now!, (CD 2), $30,000: Sixth- through 12^th-grade students will earn a full world-language credit in 3 weeks, half of the world language credits required for college admissions. Students may choose to study Arabic, Chinese, or Korean while participating in cultural activities.  
• Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA), (CD 2), $75,000: Kindergarten through eighth-grade students from refugee and immigrant backgrounds will receive culturally responsive STEAM curriculum and social-emotional supports to recognize their worth during a challenging time of transition in their lives.   
• Seattle Parks & Recreation at Denny Middle School**, (CD 1), $35,000: Seattle Parks and Recreation in partnership with Denny Middle School Westside Scholars Academy will provide the enrichment portion of summer school with activities that include Avela coding, Techbridge Girls, CoRe gaming, sports skills & drill, youth media club, crafting & modeling and swimming lessons.    

• Somali Family Safety Taskforce, (CD 2), $75,000: Programming provides Somali youth in grades six through 12 with cultural enrichment and career and college opportunities including field trips to local colleges and major employers, youth-led research and multi-media presentations, and an end-of-summer, youth-led college and career workshop for parents and community.   
• South End Stories (CD 2,3), $72,750: South End Stories’ Academy of Play will partner with Seattle Public Libraries and the Freedom Schools Program to immerse elementary students in project-based learning, featuring arts, theater, film, comics and reading.    
• Stemtac Foundation and Engageable Designs*, (CD 2), $60,000: Third- through eighth-grade students will learn and build confidence in mathematical foundations including fractions, rates, ratios, proportions, base ten multiplication tables, and standard algorithms.  
• Student Family & Support Program, (CD 3), $35,000: Kindergarten through fifth-grade students will receive culturally responsive academic instruction in math, reading and writing, physical fitness activities, and socialization with peers. 
• The Good Foot Arts Collective, (CD 2), $75,000: The Good Foot Power UP/Level UP Enrichment Program provides rising ninth graders with academic instruction focused on math, language arts, academic study skills, healthy relationships, and college and career exploration.    

• WA-BLOC**, (CD: 2), $75,000: The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools Summer program provides kindergarten through fifth-grade students with a civil rights-integrated reading curriculum, youth-led National Day of Social Action, family and community engagement, nutrition & health education for Rainier Beach youth.   

*First-time recipient of DEEL funding.
**FEPP Levy School-Based Investment Recipient   

Student registration will begin as soon as May and will vary by program. Programs will occur between July and August and are free for students served by the grant.   

DEEL’s summer learning investments span the education continuum from preschool through postsecondary and build upon year-round school and community-based programs contributing to student achievement. Funding is provided by the 2018 voter-approved Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy.