Summer Safety and Summer Enrichment Go Hand in Hand!

Summer schedules present many students with more free time than they traditionally have during the school year. The U.S. Military Health System spoke recently with Army Lt. Col. Jean Burr, Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center about the risks associated with youth and summertime activities: “summer presents a special problem because young people are out of school and want to relax. They’re engaging in more unsupervised activities, because parents are still at work. And the teens are at a time in their lives when they think they are invincible.”

Schools across the country are helping tackle summertime free time concerns by offering summer options for students as they encounter more free time at this time of year. The Seattle Public School District, like many districts across the nation offer high school students opportunities to make up course credits needed for graduation, offers extra tutoring on diverse subjects and skills courses for students interested in acquiring additional personal skills such as First Aid, lifeguard certification and more.

Many local colleges are partnering with schools to offer summer programs for high school aged youth. The Sacramento City Unified School District offers high school students an opportunity to take classes and earn college credit at four local colleges, helping families keep students safe busy and save money in the future! The Milwaukee Public School District has partnered with local recreation departments, keeping young people engaged and safe with in and outdoor adventures, social activities, and daily meals.

Check out the partnerships local schools, colleges, and community centers are creating for youth in your school district this summer!