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A joint project by P.S. 188, Bard High School Early College and the Children's Defense Fund - New York (CDF-NY) offers students who have completed 4th and 5th grade an exciting full summer enrichment program for FREE!

The Children's Defense Fund Freedom School™ at PS 188 offers a summer curriculum that sets high expectations in learning and helps young people improve their reading skills and boost their self esteem. An experienced teacher from Bard High School Early College will direct the Freedom School™, which is designed to meet students needs and promote their independence within a supervised, safe and small group environment (one staff member per 10 students). The bilingual/bicultural curriculum, specifically tailored to the needs of the community, will be taught by highly-trained college student volunteers and a qualified PS 188 teacher.

CDF Freedom Schools™ are modeled after the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project of 1964, a major political action program in which volunteers and community members worked together to secure basic democratic rights for Mississippi's Black citizens. Volunteers taught Black students during the summer with a curriculum that promoted equality, self discovery, social justice and community activism. That project inspired youth from around the country to become involved in their own communities. In New York, many Puerto Rican and other Latino youth became active in improving their communities on the Lower East Side, El Barrio and the South Bronx.

Freedom Schools™ are educational, recreational and cultural enrichment programs that provide a safe, fun and nurturing learning environment during the summer months. Freedom Schools™ began in 1992 and currently operate in 64 sites around the country with more than 500 college-age adults serving as role models and teachers to more than 5,000 children.

2005 Summer Flyer
(PDF Format - English :: Spanish )

To view the official Freedom School website, click here.