Building Strong Readers Through Summer Learning and Enrichment
YMCA of High Point – Y Readers Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program
Summary
The Foundation for a Healthy High Point funded the YMCA of High Point for two years to develop and launch the Y Readers Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program at the Hartley and Chavis YMCA branches in High Point. Y Readers is a signature program of the YMCA designed to address academic achievement gaps in underserved communities. The program strives to reduce summer reading loss, close the achievement gap experienced by High Point youth, provide opportunities to build social skills, and enjoy summer enrichment experiences that may be out of financial reach for some families.
Highlights
- The launch of the Y Readers program in High Point was facilitated by funding from the Foundation for a Healthy High Point, the establishment of new YMCA learning facilities, dedicated leadership at the YMCA of High Point, and collaboration with High Point schools. Collectively, this created a strong foundation for success.
- During the first two summers of the program, over 60 students participated in the Y Readers program, with additional students receiving tutoring during the school year. Students averaged over 2 months of reading gain over the 5-week program by reading an average of 6 hours and participating in enriching programming at YMCA branches and in the community.
Funding
The Foundation for a Healthy High Point provided $35,000 to YMCA of High Point to support the pilot of the Y Readers program at the Hartley YMCA during 2024 and $45,000 in 2025 to expand the program to the Chavis YMCA. Additionally, the High Point Community Foundation donated $31,000 in 2025 and the High Point Medical Society provided $5,000 in 2024 and $15,000 in 2025 to support school year tutoring. Company sponsors and individual donors supported the program through the YMCA Annual Friends of the Y Campaign. In-kind donations of books, learning spaces, and operational expenses, including transportation for field trips, were also provided.
The Foundation for a Healthy High Point works with partners to transform conditions that impact health and well-being of Greater High Point residents by investing in and engaging the community to address upstream social influences on health.
Background
Established in 1923, the YMCA of High Point is dedicated to fulfilling its mission of “putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.” Serving the greater High Point community, the organization operates three branch locations: the Hartley, Chavis, and Grubb Family YMCAs, along with two overnight camps. The Chavis branch holds particular significance for High Point’s African American community, functioning as an historically Black YMCA with an emphasis on serving the needs of local lower-income residents. It recently underwent a $5 million renovation. Additionally, the YMCA of High Point recently established a new Learning Center at its Hartley branch.
Drawing inspiration from decades of successful implementation in the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, staff at the YMCA of High Point recognized an opportunity to bring the YMCA’s evidence-based Y Readers program to greater High Point community or YMCA of High Point. The partnership with the Foundation for a Healthy High Point arose following the Foundation’s strategic planning process, which affirmed its commitment to investing early funding in evidence-based, high-quality programs that address social determinants of health like educational access. Support from the Foundation for a Healthy High Point enabled the launch of the Y Readers program at the Hartley YMCA branch in the summer of 2024 and expansion of the program to the Chavis YMCA branch in the summer of 2025. Funding supported a portion of the salaries of the Y Readers Program Director, Certified Teachers, Afternoon Enrichment Counselors, and summer interns along with the purchase of educational materials and supplies
“On the first day of Y Readers we pick a motivational book. This summer we used ‘I Promise,’ by LeBron James. We watch LeBron James reading the book. The kids relate that to a writing activity and some of our character education that we do. They all get a copy of that book to take home to read to their parents that night. And they’re already able to read it because they heard him read it. They practice reading it as a group. They read it silently. Then they go home, and they’re already successful day one.”
Dr. Mary Quinn, Director, Y Readers Program
Need
The COVID-19 pandemic created lasting challenges for many students in greater High Point, especially those from lower-income families. Lockdowns disrupted early learning and social development, leading to lower academic achievement in elementary school. Additionally, while students gain academic skills during the school year, many students lose those gains over summer break. Research on summer learning loss finds that elementary-age children lose two or more months of reading progress each summer, a pattern most pronounced among lower-income students without access to enriching resources at home or through high quality summer programs. Students that do not have strong reading skills by 3rd grade struggle academically and are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
Compounding this problem was a large cut in federal funding for summer school programs in North Carolina. Summer school funding in 2024 was cut from $16 million to $2 million leaving behind many students who would benefit from academic programs over the summer. Prior to 2024, rising 1st-7th grade students were eligible for the Guilford County Schools summer school program, but the number of students being served is shrinking.
Project Description
The Y Readers Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program is a four days per week, five- week summer literacy and character development program based on evidence-based approaches to reading instruction emphasizing phonics, writing, and reading with low student/teacher ratios. The program is provided at no cost to families of children identified by their teachers as reading below grade level, but not at such a low level that they are eligible for summer school support from the school district.
The first half of the seven-hour day is spent learning and practicing literacy skills. During the second half of the day, the children participate in summer enrichment activities at YMCA branches and throughout the area. Tutoring provided at partner schools during the school year maintains and extends summer progress.
In 2024, the YMCA of High Point identified Oak View Elementary school as a good candidate for their first partnership with a Guilford County School. Oak View Elementary is a Title 1 school located near the Hartley YMCA branch, with over 80% of students being economically disadvantaged. In 2024, only 30% of students were reading at grade level in 3rd through 5th grade. The principal and teachers at Oak View were immediately supportive of partnering with the Y and recruited their top second and third grade teachers to lead the program and identify qualifying students. Of the thirteen students who participated in the first year of Y Readers, all lived in low-income housing and read below grade level at the start of the program.
For the 2025 summer, the YMCA expanded to a second site by partnering with Fairview Elementary school, another Title 1 school serving economically disadvantaged families. Students spent their mornings at Fairview Elementary, then transferred to the Chavis YMCA for afternoon activities. A total of 24 of the 30 spots available were filled by Fairview students, and 28 students participated at the Hartley YMCA, eleven of them returnees from the first summer. Of the two students who didn’t return, one was identified as now reading above eligible level, thus ineligible to return, and the second moved out of High Point. All the other students and teachers were excited to return for a second summer at the Hartley YMCA.
At both the Hartley YMCA and Fairview elementary, Y Readers students spent their mornings participating in fun and effective literacy-building activities. The classes participated in traditional reading activities (UFly phonics and sight words), writing, and vocabulary building instruction. Additionally, teachers are allowed the freedom to explore innovative literacy activities such as practicing sight words through art and games, word walls, and daily time to DEAR (Drop Everything And Read).
Both because it is summer and classes are small, the atmosphere is more relaxed than during the school year. Some students lay on the floor and read; others move around to get comfortable. The supportive atmosphere and small class sizes fosters enjoyment of reading and learning and curtails behavior problems. During the first week of school, teachers ask students about their favorite books, then program staff order the books which are given to the students as presents. The children take their books to and from school and at the end of the summer, are given the books to keep, along with a home library individually selected for each student from among the thousand donated books the program director collects.
Social emotional learning components are integrated into the activities, including incorporating gratitude through prayer at mealtimes and utilizing the curriculum, “Character Strong.” This curriculum emphasizes a different character trait each week, such as caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and faith. In the afternoon, students participate in traditional day camp activities such as the splash pad, gym, swim lessons, arts and crafts. The program also exposes children to new experiences with field trips including visits to a climbing wall, the High Point Children’s Museum, the environmental center, and playing kickball at the High Point Rockers Baseball Stadium. Additionally, the YMCA gives families of Y Reader participants free summer memberships, providing opportunities for low-income families to access the YMCA facilities, many for the first time.
Additional funding from the High Point Medical Society allowed the program to continue at Oak View Elementary during the 2024-25 school year, with tutoring being offered to Y Readers participants two times per week at school. A total of 28 students received tutoring for 14 weeks during the school year. As program staff described, they’re creating continuity and elevating and supporting the school and students year-round.
Strengths of Y Readers include the low student/teacher ratio, high quality certified teachers, and flexibility to make reading fun through a variety of creative activities that may not be feasible during the school year when there are a greater number of students in a classroom and fewer resources. Volunteers, such as local firefighters and a local author, also enriched students’ experiences by sharing their excitement for reading. Together these created a positive, joyful learning environment in which children delighted in advancing their reading skills intensively over the summer and throughout the school year.
Results
During its inaugural summer in High Point, 13 students participated in five weeks of the Y Readers program at the Hartley YMCA. During the second summer, 51 rising 2nd to 4th graders participated in the program at either the Hartley YMCA Learning Center or the Fairview Elementary/Chavis YMCA. Attendance was strong both summers at 88% the first year and 75% the second, surpassing the program’s goal of a 70% attendance rate. There were no disciplinary issues either summer.
During the first summer, the program intended to serve 16 students, but three dropped out due to challenges families faced with transporting their children to and from the YMCA site. The program was planned to be six weeks in length, but the program needed to wait for the schools to identify qualified students and teacher salaries were higher than expected, resulting in the program being shortened to five weeks.
Y Readers students gained an average of 2.5 months of reading growth by the end of the first summer of the program and 2.25 months during the second summer, determined by pre and post-program standardized testing. This contrasts with a predicted 2 months of reading loss that would have occurred without the program. This represents an average net gain of over 4.25 months of reading compared to what is expected without this program. Students averaged over 360 minutes of reading per student over the 5-week program.
The Y Readers program director is establishing a memorandum of agreement with the school district to gain access to school test results to assess participants’ reading levels at the end of the following school year, an indicator of long-term impact. Y Reader teachers who have participating students in their classes shared anecdotal evidence of impact over the school year. They reported that the Y Readers students showed good growth in reading, greater than students who did not participate in the program.
National YMCA surveys of Summer Learning Loss program parents found that over 90% reported that their children read more often, have more positive attitudes about school, and have improved their levels of self-confidence through participating in the Y Readers program. Locally, parent satisfaction surveys at the end of the 2025 session found that 100% of parents wanted to return to the program and were extremely happy with the progress of their children and activities they participated in throughout the enrichment portion of the program.
Anecdotally, Association Development Director, Mary Ann Edwards, shared a story about a chance encounter with a Y Readers parent. The family had recently moved to High Point and the mother was concerned that her child was not ready to progress to the next grade. She wanted to hold her child back a grade, but that is not an option in North Carolina. She shared how “incredibly grateful” she is for Y Readers as she feels more confident that her daughter will be ready for fourth grade due to the support she has received from Y Readers this summer.
Lessons Learned
In reports submitted to the Foundation and interviews for this report, YMCA of High Point staff shared that:
- The YMCA Y Readers program is expanding summer learning opportunities for High Point students who might not otherwise have access to high quality summer educational and recreational programs. Cuts to Guilford County Schools have resulted in students who would benefit from summer school support being ineligible for services. Families lack the resources or may not prioritize organized summer activities. Through Y Readers, children not only receive high quality, individualized literacy instruction, they also are introduced to the YMCA’s facilities and programming. Since Y Readers children stay together with their group for the full day at the Hartley YMCA, they build strong relationships and trust. At the Chavis Y, Y Readers students are integrated with other YMCA camp participants from various schools for afternoon programming, expanding their connections with others in the community.
- Transportation is important to ensure the program operates at full capacity. Families must transport their children to and from the program sites, either the YMCA branch or school. During the 2025 summer, parents of the Fairview/Chavis group had to transport their students between sites midday. Consequently, during the first year, two families had to drop out of the program due to a lack of transportation, and transportation challenges precluded full enrollment during the second year as well. Staff are developing a transportation plan for future years to reduce barriers to participation and serve as many students as possible. In addition to funding, finding bus drivers for just a few split shifts is a challenge. In contrast, in Charlotte, schools provide transportation to the YMCAs in addition to summer school sites, thus reducing this barrier for families to participate.
- Teachers and schools love Y Readers. In contrast to reports of teacher burnout, it was easy for the principals at these two schools to recruit certified teachers to lead the program, and those teachers wanted to return for the second year; even other teachers were approaching the Y asking about how to get involved. So what could have been a challenge – finding highly qualified educators – is not an issue for this program. Teachers experience the joy of summer teaching and build strong relationships with their own students. A bonus is that they get to take a set of classroom supplies back to their schools to have continued impact. 100% of teachers reported they wanted to return to Y Readers for a second year and in 2025 3 of the 4 teachers did return.
- The Y Readers program builds trust between families and the YMCA and provides models and resources for them to enrich their children’s learning. YMCA staff discussed how some parents may not value education or have the time and/or resources to expose their children to summer enrichment activities like swim lessons or visiting local attractions. Y Readers is introducing a cohort of kids to opportunities in their communities for learning and exploring, and through their children, families are expanding their worlds. Additionally, the program provides kids and families with snacks and meals during the day and a bag of food for the weekend, a swim bag including a Walmart gift card to purchase a swimming suit and towel, free summer Y memberships, and hundreds of new and used books to keep at the end of the program. The program culminates in a graduation celebration complete with awards, certificates, their take-home library, and backpack filled with school supplies to ensure the students have a strong start to the school year.
- Building a relationship with the school district is important for efficient operation and sustainability. Principals and teachers at the participating schools love the program and the YMCA continues to build a relationship with Guilford County Schools district staff and leadership. The YMCA and GCS are working on an agreement for student transportation. Additionally, the program needs to wait to hear from the district about their summer school programs and specifically which children they will serve. Until that is known, no students can be enrolled in Y Readers, thus shortening the time between recruitment, enrollment, and program start. The program in Charlotte has a strong relationship with the Charlotte school district, but that has been built over the last 15 years.
- Funding from the Foundation for a Healthy High Point was instrumental in launching Y Readers in High Point and putting it on the path toward sustainability. As program staff stated, this isn’t a program that can be funded a thousand dollars at a time. A substantial investment was needed to fund the development and establishment of the program during its early years. Additionally, having a strong, passionate leader is necessary to start up such a comprehensive program. Without the initial two years of investment by the Foundation for a Health High Point, it is unlikely this program would have been brought to High Point. With that funding, lasting partnerships have been established with several community organizations such as the United Way, Salvation Army, area churches, and grantmaking organizations, in addition to the schools who are key to identifying students and teachers and promoting the program to their families. Additionally, when board members or donors experience the program firsthand, like volunteering to read books to students, they become program champions. Consequently, the YMCA board has more fully embraced their annual campaign which is critical to the program’s continued success.
What’s next?
The YMCA is working to continue to incrementally grow the Y Readers program. In the summer of 2026, they plan to have three sites serving over 100 students by continuing the programs at Oak View and Fairview Elementary in High Point and launching the program into Randolph County. They also would like to expand it to be a full day program. Longer term, the YMCA is looking to establish new funding sources, increase school system investments, expand the program in Randolph County, and to conduct evaluations to assess impact.