By the Numbers: University-Assisted Community Schools Summer Enrichment Program
This summer marked the 39th year of Netter Center summer programs for K-12 West Philadelphia students.
Image: Grace Strozewski
Since 1985, the Netter Center for Community Partnerships has hosted University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) summer enrichment programs for West Philadelphia students. What started as a local youth program has evolved into a regular six-week program now offered to students from kindergarten through 12th grade, running from early July to mid-August. Supported by Penn students, faculty, and staff, as well as local schools and community partners, the program offers academic enrichment, social emotional learning, sports, arts, cooking, gardening, and workplace experiences for high school students.
“The objective is not only to defeat learning loss but also to provide career exposure and recreational activities,” says Bianca M. del Rio, executive director of UACS. The program is an extension of the Netter Center’s comprehensive university-assisted community school programming, supplementing both school day and after school learning with hands-on experience, she says. “We’re really focused on getting kids into projects that can keep them engaged through the summer.”
Del Rio, who has been with the program since 2015, has seen students whose UACS participation has spanned years, coming year after year. “That is something that I have a lot of pride in because it really does show that continuity,” she says. “Kids are engaged, they’re able to stay engaged, and now we’ll also be able to keep them in our sights as they matriculate and graduate.”
This summer University-Assisted Community Schools Summer Enrichment Program served students in Lea, Comegys, Hamilton, Sayre, West Philadelphia High School, and Paul Robeson High School, in addition to a handful of students from other West Philadelphia schools. Here are some other highlights:
386
Students in grades kindergarten through 8th who were enrolled in the summer enrichment program
65
Middle-school students enrolled in career exposure programming
205
High school students enrolled in paid, work-ready internships
70-80
Penn students supporting summer UACS programs, through volunteer and paid positions, including work-study
8
The minimum number of field trips each student went over the summer, including excursions to the Please Touch Museum, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Franklin Institute, the African American Museum, and Dorney Park
55-60
Middle school students involved in summer Young Quakers Community Athletics, a partnership with Penn Athletics
60
High school students involved in Cross-Grade Sports, leading sports and fitness activities for students in K-8th grade summer program
Note: The Center for Community Partnerships was not formed under that name until 1992 (later becoming the Netter Center in 2007). The predecessor to Netter's University-Assisted Community School programwas known as the West Philadelphia Improvement Corps (WEPIC).
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