Youth Programs

Leayrah Owens, 5, gives her mother, Romello Stovall, one last hug before the start of the Talk/Read/Succeed! summer program.

Children and parents shared a light breakfast at Dorman and Boland elementary schools before launching into Talk/Read/Succeed’s second annual summer learning program.

This year’s nature-based summer program began on July 2 with full enrollments of 45 children, from kindergarten to grade three, at each school. It will run weekdays through Aug. 3.

T/R/S!, an innovative early literacy program is funded primarily by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and guided by the Davis Foundation, unites two Springfield Housing Authority developments with the two schools. It marshals a broad-based coalition to bring lasting and positive changes for SHA families and the Springfield community.

On opening day at Dorman, parents and children were equally excited.

“I’m happy today because I know I’m going to have fun,” said five-year-old Leayrah Owens, who will be a first-grader in September.

“We get to play and read. My friends are here too. I’m having fun already,” she said.

Her mother, Romello Stovall, said she heard about the summer program through another Dorman parent, and was happy her daughter got a spot. Children who attended last year’s program at both schools came back in September with either level or higher reading skills, while most children fall back a few months from lack of use.

Springfield Housing Authority Executive Director William H. Abrashkin welcomes parents and children to Talk/Read/Succeed!’s second annual summer learning program.

“I heard it was a really good program that would be good for my daughter,” Stovall said. “I knew right away that I wanted her in it.”

The summer learning program was developed by the Hasbro Learning Initiative, and is being administered by Square One of Springfield. At the breakfast at Dorman, many of the T/R/S! partners were there, to greet parents and children and to see the program in action at its launch.

SHA Executive Director William H. Abrashkin welcomed a happy crowd and spoke about the lasting value T/R/S! will have on their families.

“This is terrific,” Abrashkin said. “We’re really happy to see parents, and especially so many children, here today.

“We know that children who haven’t been to summer programs tend to fall behind when they go back to school, and that gap continues. That’s why we’re here, to make sure this doesn’t happen to your children. When they get back to school, they’ll be ready to go.”

Dorman Principal Rhonda Stowell-Lewis and site coordinator Michele McBride also gave greetings. Other T/R/S! coalition agencies represented were the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, Springfield Parent Academy, Square One, Hasbro, Behavioral Health Network, and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

This year’s program at Dorman has a new element that will extend through the upcoming academic year – a grant-funded program from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst.

Dorman Elementary School teacher Ellen Brennan launches right into reading with her Talk/Read/Succeed! summer group of young learners.

Eric Carle Director Rosemary Agoglia said the grant is part of The Funder Collaborative for Reading Success, a Davis Foundation effort that brings together agencies and groups around the same goal shared by T/R/S! Museum staff will work with Dorman parents and children weekly, reading and sharing books and literacy tips, with an art component.

“We’re so excited about the opportunity to bring this aspect of art and literacy to Dorman,” she said. This program will expand to teacher and staff training through the year, and visiting artists at the school on a regular basis. Agoglia said the pilot program will hopefully be used at other schools as well.

Children in the summer program will do much of their learning outdoors, whether on the grounds of Dorman and Boland, or walks to nearby parks, or on weekly field trips.

“We want to make sure the children are having fun while they’re learning,” explained Brian King, director of the Hasbro Summer Learning Program.

“We’re creating an environment where it feels like a summer camp. We’ll engage them, make things fun, and at the same time make sure they’re challenged and having a great learning experience,” King added.

Parents whose children attended the camp last year were among the first to sign up this year.

“I like everything about it,” said Carla Santiago, whose involvement in T/R/S! has triggered a close association with Dorman, including serving on its parent-teacher association.

“The kids learn a lot, especially in their reading. You could really see the difference,” she added.