This grant will provide scholarships to 104 low-income youth to attend a nine-week summer camp with daily educational sessions.

Remote learning, necessitated by COVID-19, has created challenges for students from low-income families, many of whom have limited access to computers, unreliable Wi-Fi, or minimal educational support at home. Studies confirm that learning loss due to school closures has widened the existing achievement gap between students from low-income communities and their more affluent peers.

To address this gap, United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County (UBGC) has modified their summer camp program to include engaging learning activities in math, science, language arts, and social science, as well as tutoring for low-income youth (ages 6-12) who are assessing below grade level. UBGC’s staff is bilingual and experienced in youth programming and education.

Camp scholarships funded by this grant will be based on income and school counselor referrals. Priority will be given to homeless and foster youth. In addition to closing the achievement gap, this camp will promote equity and inclusion by providing access to an affordable, educational summer program for working families.