Last summer, after an extremely challenging year, approximately 340,000 Oregon children and young people felt the joy of learning, play, and discovery through summer learning programs that were designed and led by their communities, for their communities. This investment dramatically increased equitable access to summer learning, particularly for youth who have experienced the worst impacts of the pandemic as well as long-standing injustices.
Today, as we celebrate another major statewide investment in summer learning, including $50 million for community-based programs in 2022, I’m thrilled to share new community-driven research highlighting how culturally specific community-based summer learning supports Oregon youth to learn, grow, and thrive.
At FBO, our approach to research and data is grounded in learning alongside communities. With so many powerful examples of community-based learning across Oregon last year, we were honored to partner with two culturally specific organizations to co-design original research projects to accompany their summer learning programs.
As we conclude our summer research partnerships with REAP, Inc., and the Chinese Friendship Association of Portland (CFAP), we’re excited to publish two co-designed research reports that spotlight the power of summer learning when built on the deep-rooted strengths, wisdom, and cultures within Oregon communities.
Each research partnership was unique, exploring how community-based learning can connect children to their heritage, language, and culture, or empower young people to develop the power of their own voice and leadership. Together, these reports offer community-driven insights that can apply across Oregon’s learning ecosystem, encompassing both our public education system and many youth-serving organizations. You can read the reports below, or find them in FBO's research library.
I’m deeply grateful to our research partners at CFAP and REAP, Inc., as well as Dr. Tanisha Tate Woodson for their collaboration. Our work together reaffirms that those who create opportunities for young people to thrive are also powerfully positioned to frame and conduct meaningful research, helping us all reimagine where and how learning happens.
Let’s carry these learnings forward, into the summer of 2022 and beyond.
