Backpacktacular
Sending every camper packing with a backpack packed with children's books, crayons, pencils, a calculator. Finale Friday, August 12, is part carnival and part scavenger hunt to fill their bags will school supplies.
Leader
Ben Falik
Location
10500 Lyndon Street Detroit, MI 48238
About the project
Summer is, ultimately, too short. Summer in the City volunteers and campers make myriad memories under the hot sun citywide and then, in the blink of an eye, it's time to head back to school. We hope everyone concludes camp and commences school with the confidence, compassion and courage to be the change they wish to see in Detroit.
And backpacks. Backpacks are our humble way to send our 600 campers back to school with a few tools (and a long-lasting high five) that will help them along their academic journeys until we see them again.
The Steps
1. Get our volunteers and campers pumped about the big finish to the 15th year of Summer in the City.
2. Source donated and discounted school supplies.
3. Facilitate Finale Friday, in which campers get to do their own back-to-school shopping at activity stations throughout the Adams Butzel Recreation Complex.
Why we‘re doing it
It's no secret that being a student in Detroit is exceptionally difficult, marked by danger and discontinuity. Summer in the City works to create safe spaces for campers and volunteers to grow together for 8 wonderful weeks and then share their anticipation and anxiety about heading back to school.
Now that we have campers who have been with us for many summers -- and some who have returned as volunteers -- we know that this small investment can be a major vote on confidence in their academic careers.