Johns Hopkins Center for Summer Learning Cites Value of BGCA Summer Programs

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) today announced it will continue its partnership with the JCPenney Afterschool Fund (JCPAF) to support vital afterschool and out-of-school programs for disadvantaged youth. This summer the partnership, powered by a new $2.2 million grant from JCPAF, will support BGCA out-of-school programs that fight "Summer Brain Drain," a seasonal "malady" that causes millions of young people to lose months of accumulated knowledge.

Since 1999, JCPenney and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund together have contributed almost $15 million in support of BGCA's afterschool and out-of- school programs.

Out-of-School Programs Fight "Summer Brain Drain"

Nationwide, educators see summer vacation as a learning challenge. Some young people take advantage of the time to get ahead and prepare for demanding college prep classes. However, many parents argue that summer is a time to allow kids to relax by the pool and build sandcastles on the beach, not practice their algebra and periodic tables.

Unfortunately, the cost of a summer of total relaxation is that many young people return to school in the fall only to find they have forgotten months of learning from the previous school year. This is "Summer Brain Drain," also known as "summer learning loss" or "the summer slide."

"While the months without daily lessons are part of the problem, another cause of Summer Brain Drain is that many young people are left alone for much of the summer, with little or no direction to channel their time and energies," says Carrie Prudente, director, Education Programs, Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Summer Brain Drain hits particularly hard among young people from low- income households or those in which both parents work. For them, it only exacerbates their challenges. Faced with difficult home and economic situations, many young people are likely to accept lower standards of academic achievement, lessening their aspirations for higher education.

Johns Hopkins University Stresses Importance of Summer Out-of-School Programs

"High-quality summer programs like those provided by Boys & Girls Clubs keep kids healthy and safe, support working families, and send kids back to school ready to learn," says Ron Fairchild, executive director of the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Summer Learning recently recognized the JCPenney Afterschool program for its generous support of these and many other out-of-school programs. The benefits of quality summer programs include:

   * Out-of-school programs have been shown to raise math and reading
     performance, improve attendance, reduce dropout rates, decrease
     involvement in crime, improve behavior at school and heighten interest
     in learning.
   * Students involved in such programs also tend to show increased
     enjoyment of reading and writing.
   * Afterschool and out-of-school programs have solid benefits for parents
     too, promoting increased parental involvement, which is critical to a
     child's overall academic success.

  By the Numbers

During the school year, the hours young people spend after school offer the most danger - and the most opportunity - of any part of their day. More than 14 million kids are alone and unsupervised after school. Over the summer, the numbers get even worse:

   * More than one-third of students will spend at least three days home
     alone each week this summer.
   * Parents are especially concerned about summer and see these months as
     the hardest time to make sure their child has things to do.
   * Many parents are concerned that their child will fall behind on
     academics during the summer. A majority of students would be interested
     in a summer program to help them keep up with their schoolwork (Wallace
     Foundation).

Boys & Girls Clubs of America, along with 4-H, YMCA and Junior Achievement, have partnered with the non-profit JCPenney Afterschool Fund to offer valuable summer programs for millions of young people.

"The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is proud to continue its partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, supporting vital out-of-school programs like Power Hour and Goals for Graduation," says Ed Solczak, executive vice president of the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. "These programs are just two examples of the world of opportunities that awaits children after school."

Tips for Parents During the summer, parents and students should take advantage of these programs. They offer a number of engaging activities:

   1. Build one-on-one tutoring relationships.
   2. Create collaborative projects where young people work together to
      complete a project.
   3. Engage in high-yield learning activities, including games that use
      cognitive skills, writing activities, creating short plays, skits or
      musical pieces, or reading.
   4. Create projects that encourage parental involvement.

  The BGCA / JCPenney Afterschool Fund Partnership

Throughout the year, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund grant supports BGCA's Power Hour (interactive afterschool homework assistance) and Goals for Graduation (academic goal setting) programs.

About the JCPenney Afterschool Fund

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports programs designed to keep kids safely and constructively engaged during out-of-school time. The Fund's contributions allow for the creation and continuance of afterschool programs aimed at the academic, physical, and social development of children throughout the U.S. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund also works to raise awareness of the benefits of afterschool programming, and is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the world of opportunities that awaits them after school.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of some 3,700 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving more than 4.4 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation.

Source: Boys & Girls Clubs of America

CONTACT: Mitch Leff of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, +1-404-861-4769,
or mitch@leffassociates.com ; or Julie Berkhouse of The JCPenney Afterschool
Fund, +1-972-431-4183

Web site: http://www.bgca.org/