Grand Ideas: Summer is an Opportunity for Real Growth

A summer camp staff member and camper hugging outside during an event

As CEO of Grand St. Settlement I’m continually reminded of the vital importance of summer camp for our youth, especially those from low-income backgrounds. We have provided summer camp experiences for city kids since 1907. We offer over 1,500 children across more than a dozen sites in Lower Manhattan and throughout Brooklyn, a safe, nurturing space to learn, grow, and enjoy their summer months.

Research consistently underscores the profound impact of summer programs on children’s development. A recent study by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health highlights that quality summer experiences can significantly bridge achievement gaps, reduce dropout rates, and foster social-emotional skills.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic widened already existing disparities, increasing the academic divide between low-income students and their peers. These months can no longer be seen as “downtime”—they must be viewed as critical opportunities for intervention and support.

Summer provides an opportunity to promote essential life skills and ignite a love of learning. In a world where kids are increasingly glued to screens, we must re-emphasize the importance of resilience, self-discipline, leadership, and reading for pleasure. Technology can be a powerful tool, but excessive screen time can hinder the development of critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and emotional regulation. Children need encouragement to discover new worlds beyond their screens.

A boy outside flying a small drone at a science fair

Equally important, summer programs provide space for real relationships to form. Campers build lasting friendships with peers and meaningful connections with mentors in a low-pressure, supportive environment. These bonds often become a foundation for confidence and growth, allowing young people to explore their unique strengths and talents.

Summer programs can and should go far beyond recreation. They are powerful tools for preparing youth to navigate a complex and changing world. When structured intentionally, these programs help children build creativity, leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking—skills that will serve them well in school, in future careers, and in their communities.

Let’s encourage reading for fun. Let’s structure activities that promote responsibility and collaboration. And let’s do it all while keeping joy, curiosity, and human connection at the center.

A Call to Invest in Our Youth

A group of Grand Street staff members at a rally advocating for increased education funding.

To meet the scale of today’s challenges, we call on philanthropies, government agencies, and elected officials to invest more deeply in comprehensive summer programs. We must support diverse, equitable programming that balances the benefits of technology with the irreplaceable value of face-to-face connection, literacy enrichment, and social-emotional development.

Investing in summer programs isn’t just about babysitting—it’s about laying the foundation for lifelong success and well-being. Equitable access to these experiences helps close opportunity gaps and empowers all children to reach their full potential, regardless of their zip code or family income.

Summer is here. Let’s make sure every child has the chance to grow.