For a second year CAC partnered with the Children’s Defense Fund to offer its Adventures in the City Freedom School (AICFS). The program served 100 little scholars (a 25 percent increase from 2016) at Thirman Milner Elementary School located in one of Hartford’s poorest neighborhoods.
In addition to a dynamic multi-cultural six-week literacy program, students experienced world dance, music, drill team, art, and other special enrichments each afternoon. They also went on weekly adventures that included visits to Imagine Nation, Flight Trampoline Park, Ebony Horsewomen, a Yard Goats game, and more.
“This is one of the best programs that I know of in the city for kids,” said Tamara Jones-Roberts, whose six-year-old son participated, “the program helped my son to build up his self-esteem and be more independent. My son enjoyed going and is ready to go back.”
A hallmark of the Freedom School model is that it is staffed by Student Leader Interns (SLI’s) who are local. “I didn’t know what I was getting into when I applied,” said Daniel Baker, an SLI from Hartford’s Blue Hills neighborhood, “but I took a leap of faith and have since learned a lot about education in the inner-city.” Baker, a rising junior in college, has been with Freedom School at Milner since the start and will return in 2018 as a Site Coordinator. “I keep coming back because of the scholars, but also because I have developed some strong bonds with other SLI’s. It gives me the opportunity to not only serve the community, but develop as a leader and grow into who I am.”
Whereas, on average, urban youth from low-income families lose three to four months of learning during the summer, 97 percent of AIC Freedom School students maintained or gained in institutional reading levels.