Summer Youth Initiative

Summer Youth Initiatives

In 2005, the Club presented a $10,000 Presidential Grant to the United Way Summer Activities Initiative Fund.

In 2012, the Club announced it was adopting the Rotary Summer Youth Experience as a Club project

In 2013, the Club was giving $10,000 to the Summer Youth Initiatives Program, and an equal amount is matched by United Way.

Summer Youth Initiatives

The Rotary Summer Youth Experience supports summer programs that work with at-risk youth between the ages of 5 and 17 in Lancaster County. Potential applicants must have programs that encourage youth to:

Improve academic skills
Build confidence and self esteem
Develop awareness of civic responsibility
Develop physical skills

Grants are available through a Rotary Club of Lancaster and United Way of Lancaster County partnership. Awards range from $500-$3,000.

At the conclusion of the program, each funded program is required to complete an outcome report demonstrating that the youth participants learned life skills and enhanced their ability to interact with the community, therefore preventing their destructive behavior in the future. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must:

be a 501 (c)(3) organization
demonstrate the value of the program to the community and incorporate summer learning and skill development to address academic and career needs and aspirations
target population of at-risk, school-aged youth, ages 5-17
be located in Lancaster County and/or serve Lancaster County residents
provide opportunities for youth to learn leadership, social and academic skills
operate in the summer months (June through August)
collaborate with other organizations
provide clear objectives with measurable outcomes that demonstrate improvements in:

The Summer Youth Experience has 3 goals for at risk youth to achieve

First, Youth Enrichment

Increased academic skills
Increased appreciation of arts/music
Increased awareness of earth-friendly environmental practices

Second, Youth Engage in Positive Adult Relationships

Role models
Mentors
Tutors

Third, Increased Awareness of Civic Responsibility

Increased awareness of community needs
Increased participation in volunteer opportunities

Report for the Lancaster Rotary Club Summer Youth Experience Program for 2020:

Summer Youth Experience: 2020, the Year of COVID-19

Brightside Opportunities Center

$ 2,000: Stem Camp

Funds supported enhanced 6-week full-day STEM Camp with focus on higher-level medical careers for all students of color (anesthesiology, OB/GYN, dentistry, etc.)
13 girls & 7 boys, ages 7-17 attended.

Community Action Partnership

$ 3,000: Media Camp

For students 14-17 interested in Social Media, Entrepreneur- ship, Podcasting, Communications, & Journalism, incl. lunch.

Lancaster Public Library

$ 1,000: Summer Reading Program

Hundreds of children logged thousands of reading hours. Prizes were awarded.

Lancaster Science Factory

$ 3,000: Summer STEM Camps Youth Access Program

Funds supported 19 of the 71 STEM Camp scholarships.
79 girls and 108 boys, ages 7-13 attended.

Lancaster Partnership for Learning Equity

$9,000: BellXcel Summer Learning Program

5-week online program with certified teachers using BellXcel curriculum providing tech resources for K-8 students in the county.
620 started. Retention was 83%.

Music for Everyone

$ 1,000: Camp MFE

2-week extension of MFE in the Schools, students prepare as a group and present concerts at Central Market & Ware Center
29 girls and 21 boys attended.

SWAN: Scaling Walls a Note at a Time

$1,000: SWAN Summer Camp

For children whose parent(s) are in prison. Includes music lessons, ensemble training, performances, mentoring, & stress & trauma management.

Next: Guest Reader Program