Tacoma Kids Avoid "Summer Slide" at KBTC Kids' Camp

Tacoma’s PBS Station Partners with Tacoma Public Schools to Provide Free Ready To Learn Day Camps in Tacoma’s Salishan Neighborhood

TACOMA, WA,  July 14, 2014 --  KBTC Public Television is providing a free 3-week long summer camp at Lister Elementary for children in the Salishan neighborhood.  Campers are engaging with their favorite PBS characters and programs while learning everything from science and social studies to math and reading.  Camp teachers present a full day of activities using multiplatform media such as television programs, interactive games, mobile apps, and hands-on activities which are designed to be fun, encouraging, and strengthen the kids’ learning experience.  

One camper had this to say after her first day: “I was happy when I waked up this morning because I wanted to know what we are doing in Fetch today.  It was fun yesterday, and I know it will be even funner today.” – Jasmine, Grade 2

More than being a fun experience for some of Tacoma’s most economically disadvantaged youth, the KBTC Kids Camp is helping prevent “summer slide” for more than 25 K-3rd graders.  

“KBTC is committed to encouraging and promoting early learning opportunities through our PBS Kids programs both on the air and on the ground here in our community. We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Tacoma Public Schools to provide this Summer Camp free to kids who are at high risk for the greatest summer learning loss,“ says Ed Ulman, KBTC General Manager.

To succeed in school and life, children need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills; something that is lacking for most kids during the summer months.  Studies show that more than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college.  

Camp runs Mondays through Thursdays from July 7th through July 24th between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and includes free breakfast and lunch for the children. 

Funding for the Camp was generously provided by a grant from Comcast in addition to support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Ready To Learn Initiative.