Springboard Collaborative Archives - Athletes for Hope

Athletes Help Springboard Collaborative Celebrate Summer Reading

Athletes Help Springboard Collaborative Celebrate Summer Reading

In our efforts to help with the educational losses in underserved communities, we partnered with Springboard Collaborative.  Springboard is a nonprofit that helps kids learn to read by closing the literacy gap between home and school. Springboard’s programs focus on pre-k through 3rd graders where they train parents to teach reading at home with workshops and daily reading instruction.

Roberto Benitez and A.J. Andrews

Springboard’s students just finished their reading program for the summer and they hosted a celebration event this past Friday called “Learning Bonus Celebration”. This event was for  students who hit their reading goals and whose parents attended all the workshops. Springboard hosted two AFH Member Athletes, professional boxer, Roberto Benitez and Team USA Softball’s, AJ Andrews, as special guests for this virtual event. The athletes congratulated students on their achievements and shared some inspirational words. Big thanks to Roberto and AJ for supporting and celebrating these young readers!

 

Athletes Helping to Address the Summer Slide

As our continued response to COVID-19, Athletes for Hope is going to focus its collective attention and efforts on the educational losses of children in underserved communities. During a typical summer, the “summer slide” is a major problem with students losing their academic gains. Now with students having even more time away from the classroom this problem is only going to get worse. A recent study shows that students will return to class in 2020 with only 70% of their learning gains in reading from the previous year and less than 50% of their learning gains in math. In some grades children will be a year behind because of COVID-19.

To address this issue, Athletes for Hope has partnered with two great non-profit organizations: 4-H and Springboard Collaborative. Springboard Collaborative is a non-profit that helps kids learn to read by closing the literacy gap between home and school. Springboard Collaborative’s programs focus on pre-k through 3rd graders where they train parents to teach reading at home with workshops and daily reading instructions.

And, 4-H is a non-profit that provides hands-on programming that empowers young people with the skills they need for today and to be prepared for future careers. 4-H programs are research-backed and reach nearly six million young people.

Athletes for Hope has created a menu of options for AFH members to become involved with these effective organizations. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Chris Wyttenbach at cwyttenbach@athletesforhope.org.