Summer school re-imagined: Sword fighting, gardening, and closing the gap
It’s 9 a.m. on a mid-July morning, but the campus of Memorial High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is already abuzz with activity.
Behind the gymnasium, students in the Medieval Fight Club practice sparring in a grassy field with padded swords. Under a nearby tree, teens on orange yoga mats focus on breathing deeply.
For some students, this four-week program – which also features meals and academic support – is the first opportunity to be with others in a school setting in more than a year.
“I’m pretty happy about this. I definitely have not done anything like this,” says Kianle Frazier, as he takes a break from medieval team battles. A rising sophomore, he spent his entire freshman year learning remotely, even after the school opened for in-person learning in February. “Online you don’t really interact with other students,” he says.
Summer school is the first stop in trying to get back to normal for many students this year. With federal relief funds in hand and more students signed up than usual, Tulsa Public Schools and other districts across the country are attempting to reengage young people, address emotional needs, andrebalancing ofacademics and enrichment to help student morale and education.
Major investments by districtsHow much can summer school help?In Tulsa, lots of experimenting