Another school year is nearly behind us, and we’re already getting ready for summer. Last summer, we partnered with Desert Sands USD, where we delivered 900 workshops to over 600 students in just 19 days! But that wasn’t the only highlight. We also teamed up with Delano Union ESD, serving over 1,200 students through 180 culinary workshops, and partnered with Moreno Valley USD to lead 220 hands-on workshops for 400 eager young chefs.
It’s moments like these that remind us summer enrichment is more than a seasonal program; it’s a gateway to growth and gaining lifelong habits.
We’ve put together six main ways that summer programs provide benefits to kids and communities:
- Boosting Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills Through Hands-On Learning: Summertime programs are the perfect place to offer fun and engaging learning that often isn’t possible during the regular school year. In LIFT Enrichment culinary workshops, children enjoy engaging in learning, from stirring sauces to chopping veggies for a dish.
- Exposing Kids to New Activities and Ideas: Summer programs are the perfect place to introduce students to subjects and activities that they might not experience in school. Our culinary workshops expose students to all kinds of new ideas, like learning about different types of cultural cuisines, understanding the importance of healthy nutrition, and learning how to use a knife safely!
- Promoting Strong, Healthy Bodies: Research shows that children who aren’t engaged in summer programs are at a higher risk of obesity. Our curriculum focuses on simple ingredients, and students learn to cook with all sorts of vegetables, including zucchini, cauliflower, spinach, and more. You can read more about how our culinary workshops promote health by instilling healthy habits early and teaching about the importance of nutrition in preventing chronic diseases.
- Strengthening Communities and Families: We love to see our students light up in the kitchen. One of the ways that LIFT Enrichment encourages students is through a “Chef of the Day” initiative where the chef teacher names an exemplary student to be Chef of the Day. Often, it’s a student who takes the initiative or cleans up without asking. This is just one of the ways that chef teachers make a difference with students, not just teaching culinary skills but encouraging leadership and confidence, too!
- Providing a Safe Place for Kids and Peace of Mind for Parents: For many families, accessing childcare during the summertime can be a challenge. Last summer LIFT Enrichment was excited to partner with a district in California where we delivered over 900 workshops to over 600 students! We were excited to incorporate healthy nutrition into their summer curriculum and offer parents a safe place for their children to learn valuable life skills and experience the joy of cooking.
- Preventing Summer Learning Loss: Summer programs can also help combat learning gaps that can occur while kids are out of school. One research study of summer programs found that programs that provide a balance between academic and enrichment activities saw the biggest gains for students. By bringing our culinary workshops to your summer program, you can balance the academics with some fun learning.
These are just a few ways that after-school and summer enrichment programs benefit students and communities. We look forward to hearing about your plans to provide fun and engaging learning activities for kids in your community.
If you want to make culinary workshops a part of their summer experience, let us know and book a meeting with our team today!
Previous Newsletters:
Chef Teacher Story: Chef Myck, How We Turn Crispy Chicken into a Lesson in Nutrition, You Need to Know About DYCD Grants for Afterschool Programs, 5 Simple Healthy Recipes Students Can Make at Home