SUMMER!
Written By: Hannah Adkison
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."
–John Lubbock, The Use of Life
As we round the corner into a new school year, we want to celebrate SUMMER. Whether you’ve spent your weekends at the beach, on the hiking trail, jet-setting the world, or making the most of time with family, most of us love the reset this season provides.
For many youth in foster care, summer does not always include these fond expectations. Often, they have to spend parts of June and July attending summer school due to low grades or missed classes (read more about the education gap for kids in foster care HERE). When they don’t need summer school, many of their shelters or families do not have the means to provide enriching activities, which means summer can feel boring, the lack of structure welcome but detrimental.
This is why at YCP we do things a bit different.
TRAVEL + PLAY
First, we encourage all our foster families to include their youth in any and all summer activities their family has planned. Want to take a road trip to several national parks? Great! We’ll work to get that cleared with the county. Want to take an international trip? We’ll help them get a passport. Get the kids Knotts passes or plan weekend adventures— ask them what they want to do, include them in your passions, and we think you’ll find a lot of FUN.
SUMMER PROGRAM
Second, we host a Summer Program. This means that Tuesday through Thursday of each week in June and July, our staff have activities planned. We get it—you have to work and depending on your situation, it might not be helpful to have a teen hanging around the house all week unsupervised. This program helps provide free structure to their weeks and includes activities like hiking, movies, swimming, and college tours.
WORK WORK WORK!
Third, for our youth old enough, we love to help them find jobs! Working is an important developmental milestone for any youth. Learning how to arrive on time, be prepared for each shift, handle money and customer service concerns, are all critical to becoming well-rounded into adulthood. This also gives them structure throughout the summer and helps them earn extra disposable income on top of their allowance. In addition, each incoming senior at Samueli Academy is required to complete internship hours, which they can do over their summer break. Instilling work ethic is important to us, and many of our youth love taking a step in this level of independence!
REST + RECUP
Lastly, we try our hardest to ensure our youth do not have to attend summer school. Many of them have never had the support necessary to have a summer to themselves and really recuperate ahead of a new school year. By staying consistent in their schoolwork reminders, tutoring, and educational plans throughout the school year, we help ensure they get the carefree summer we all dream of. Let them take naps, sleep in late, and have some days to lounge. It’s part of the teenage experience!
Giving our kids the kind of summer they’ll think back fondly on as an adult is important to us at YCP. We’ve had kids travel to Japan, Alaska, the Midwest, Mexico, and the East Coast. We’ve taken kids to the beach for the first time, done trips to San Diego, Disneyland, and Big Bear. We have toured many local colleges, seen kids start their first jobs, and obtain their driver’s license. Quiet days at home with nowhere to be become highly prized moments of solitude and rest that they did not know they needed.
At Youth Connected Program, our teens are in our dorms Sunday evening through Friday afternoons during the school year. They go home with their foster families on weekends, holidays, and summer breaks. Would you consider the opportunity to change a teens life forever? For more information, fill out the link on the “Get Started” page, or email us at ycp@orangewoodfoundation.org.