NYC Launches Free Summer Camp Program for K-12 Public School Kids: How to Apply

New York City announced a groundbreaking new initiative that seemingly combines summer school and summer camp -- as a means to further help children deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in their schooling, emotional health and their socialization.

The Summer Rising Initiative is a free program that combines the NYC Department of Education's academic support and the Department of Youth and Community Development's programming. According to city officials, it is a student-centered comprehensive programming that is integrated with social-emotional learning and available for all students, not just those who may need further academic support with a particular subject matter.

According to the mayor, the idea for Summer Rising came up following ongoing talks with students and their parents.

"A recovery for all of us means that we are taking care of our kids and families. It means really being mindful of what everyone needs after everything we’ve been through with COVID," de Blasio said. And we’ve heard from so many parents and so many kids that they’ve been through so much difficulty and they need every kind of help we can give them….And the more we’ve talked about it the more we said, 'We have to do something big this summer – very different, like nothing you’d ever seen in summer in New York City before.'"

De Blasio went on to say that the program is meant to reach as many children as possible, especially since they have been dealing with trauma over the past year due to the ongoing pandemic and the restrictions in face-to-face interactions.

"So many of our kids have been through trauma. So many of our kids have really missed the opportunity to be around their friends to be around educators. We need something brand new," de Blasio said. "So this is not like what we’ve known in the past. This is really groundbreaking for this city and rare in this country that we would take an approach for everyone in the summer. So this ends summer school as we knew it. This is something new. This is literally for every child who wants to participate."

The Summer Rising initiative will combine academics, culture, enrichment and recreation programs for, what the mayor described as "a full summer of programming for kids just so they have an opportunity to do something great to continue to make progress and come back from all the challenges that they’ve had in the last year."

This is really groundbreaking for this city and rare in this country that we would take an approach for everyone in the summer. So this ends summer school as we knew it. This is something new.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

NYC Schools Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter echoed what de Blasio said adding: "Every child deserves access to enrichment opportunities, academic acceleration and to social emotional supports. Summer programs that are designed with both academic and enrichment components have proven benefits. And that is what Summer Rising is all about."

Applications will open Monday, April 26 for students in K-8. Applications for the high school level will open at a later date.

Applications can be found on the Department of Youth and Community Development's website, or by clicking here.

The mayor went on to say that the city is hopeful that the new initiative will prove successful and will, in essence, replace the traditional summer school.

"This is the model for the future. What we will do in summer 2021 will be the model going forward in New York City," de Blasio said.