Weekly Media Roundup: June 25, 2025

Thousands of JCPS Students Engage in Summer Learning, WAVE 3 (Kentucky)

At 54 sites across Jefferson County this summer, students are taking part in fun, engaging math, reading and enrichment activities at programs run by Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Summer Success League. Local high school students are supporting and mentoring younger students. Kennedy Marshall, a recent Male High School graduate who is considering a career as a teacher, told WAVE 3, “It’s really, really cool because every time we come in, they’re like ‘oh my gosh you’re here again!’ I love seeing their faces. I love inspiring them. It’s challenging me to help become a better leader myself.”

Boys & Girls Club of Rochester at Risk of Closing Down to Due Federal Funding Cuts, KTTC (Minnesota)

More than 14,000 students in Minnesota are at risk of losing their afterschool and summer programs, as President Trump has proposed to eliminate 21^st Century Community Learning Center funding. The Boys & Girls Club of Rochester relies on the federal funding to provide enriching programs that families depend on. “Potentially losing access for families to a place like this, it’s devastating in terms of providing safe places for kids,” Chad Campbell, Rochester Boys & Girls Club CEO, told KTTC. Nationally, the Boys & Girls of America is encouraging people to voice their support for these vital programs.

The PSP, Third Future Schools Launch New Summer Learning Program to Close Student Learning Gaps, Midland Reporter-Telegram (Texas)

In response to low math and reading proficiency rates, the Permian Strategic Partnership and Third Future Schools are offering a summer enrichment program to students in Midland, Texas, that provide educational opportunities addressing the summer learning gap. “We cannot afford to let students fall behind, not when the data is this clear,” said Zach Craddock, superintendent of Third Future Schools, told the Midland Reporter-Telegram. “The Fifth Quarter [summer program] allows our students to catch up and thrive. We’re not just filling time during the summer; we’re laying the foundation for future success. If we want different outcomes, we must be willing to do things differently, which starts today.”

Opinion: A Safer, More Affordable NYC Starts With Investing in Afterschool Care, City Limits (New York)

According to an analysis by the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, 80% of families in New York City cannot afford afterschool programs for their children, and programs continue to struggle with limited capacity and long waitlists. In a recent guest column for City Limits, Raysa S. Rodriguez of Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York and Ben Thomases of Queens Community House argue that addressing the afterschool staffing crisis by raising reimbursement rates for city-funded programs is a critical part of the solution. “Investing in quality afterschool services now is not only fundamental to supporting the next generation of New Yorkers. It is critical to building a stronger economy, enabling more parents—particularly mothers—to participate fully in the workforce,” Rodriguez and Thomases argue.