This summer, several West Ohio Conference churches and ministries are hosting Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools. Designed for children from kindergarten through 7th grade, the program aims to maintain or increase a child’s reading level, which often deteriorates during the summer months. But Freedom Schools offer much more than literacy support.
Rooted in the legacy of the 1964 Freedom Summer—a voter registration movement aimed at increasing Black voter participation in Mississippi, Freedom Schools are multicultural, empowering spaces that emphasize social action, servant leadership, and self-esteem building.
Jamal Jones, MSW, LSW, who leads the Freedom School at Asbury North in Columbus, noticed students’ summer reading improvements, their increase in conflict resolution, and growth in self-esteem. Jones added. “This program also focuses on social justice issues throughout our curriculum, which is missing in their normal school day conversations due to changes to the school curriculum.”
Other West Ohio sites offering Freedom Schools this summer include Church and Community for All People and Freedom School of Licking County (Olentangy River District); Lima Area Ministries/Lima Trinity UMC, Louise Troy School/Grace UMC, and Covenant UMC (Western Lakes District); Monroe Street Neighborhood Center/Monroe Street UMC (Maumee River District)
Together, these ministries are nurturing the next generation of readers, leaders, and justice-seekers.
Written by Amy Graham, Freelance Writer with West Ohio Communications