Beat Summer Boredom, Learning Loss with YouthQuest

As the end of the school year nears, YouthQuest is gearing up for an action-packed summer.

“When students don’t have regular access to reading, science and other educational opportunities, they’re more likely to experience the ‘summer slide,’” said Cheryl Adkins, program director of YouthQuest. “We help combat that learning loss by providing students with a variety of hands-on, activities and field trips that encourage critical thinking, new interests and healthy behaviors.”

According to Adkins, YouthQuest’s summer program offers high-quality activities and services that encourage the exploration of new interests in the areas of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), and promotes academic achievement, physical fitness, youth leadership and volunteerism.

The summer schedule varies based on grade level and school site.

FOR GRADES K-5, YouthQuest will take a deep dive into subjects including music and dance, culinary arts, invention and robotics. The program will run Mondays through Thursdays at the following sites, times and dates:

• Carman-Ainsworth School District
  • Held at Randels Elementary
  • 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., June 19-Aug. 1. No program July 1-4
  • Available to students of Dillon, Dye, Randels and Rankin elementary schools
• Flint Community Schools 
  • Location will rotate weekly at sites including Baker College, Flint Institute of Music, Kettering University and Mott Community College
  • 11:30 a.m. -3 p.m., June 24-July 25
  • Available to students of Brownell STEM Academy, Doyle-Ryder, Durant Tuuri-Mott, Eisenhower, Freeman Holmes STEM Academy, Neithercut, Pierce and Potter elementary schools
• International Academy of Flint
  • Held at International Academy of Flint
  • 12-4:40 p.m., July 8-Aug. 8
  • Available to IAF students in grades K-5

FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, YouthQuest offers Summer on the Road – which takes the preteens and teens on excursions throughout the state to promote college and career readiness.

FOR GRADES 6-8, students will explore career paths in health science, graphic design, coding and construction at Genesee Career Institute. They will also learn about personal finances; life skills, including cooking and time management; and community building. Additionally, eighth grade students will spend a day preparing for their upcoming transition to high school.

The program, which will be held June 24-July 25, is available to students from Flint Community Schools and International Academy of Flint. They will meet at Baker College Monday through Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The program will wrap up with an overnight field trip to Cincinnati.

FOR GRADES 9-12, students will focus on service learning, life skills and college prep. They will also spend some time at Factory 2, a local makerspace that provides training and access to a variety of equipment, including 3D printers and woodworking tools.

The program, which will be held June 24-July 25, is available to students from Flint Community Schools and International Academy of Flint. They will meet at Northwestern High School Monday through Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. At the end of the summer, students will explore Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, with stops at Mackinac Island, Soo Locks, Michigan’s Adventure and more.

READY TO APPLY? YouthQuest is using paper forms for this summer’s registration process. For a copy of this form, connect with your YouthQuest site team leader.

For more information, visit yquest.org or call (810) 600-1422.

YouthQuest is made possible through the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

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