Bridge To Summer

Bridge to Summer connects families to summer learning opportunities across the region so that every child can flourish all year around.

Click an image below to see how Bridge to Summer partners have spent their summers throughout the years.

Steering Committee Members

The Value of Out-Of-School Time Programs

Effective out-of-school time programs bring a wide range of benefits to youth, families, and communities. Afterschool programs can boost academic performance, promote physical health, and provide a safe, structured environment for the children of working parents.

I

Attending out-of-school time programs can improve students’ academic performance.

II

Effective afterschool programs can improve classroom behavior, school attendance, academic aspirations, and can reduce the likelihood that a student will drop out.

III

Participation in out-of-school time programs has been associated with reduced drug use.

IV

Out-of-school time programs can play an important role in encouraging physical activity and good dietary habits. Participation in these programs has been associated with positive health outcomes, including reduced obesity.

V

Working families and businesses also derive benefits from out-of school time programs that ensure that youth have a safe place to go while parents are at work. Parents concerned about their children’s afterschool care miss an average of eight days of work per year, and this decreased worker productivity costs businesses up to $300 billion annually.