Keep focusing on learning during summer
Most people do not realize how challenging, competitive, and rewarding the world of pageantry really is. I started competing in pageants nine years ago, and it has been a fabulous journey. Along the way I have met some really great people and made a number of wonderful friends. I also developed my talent, improved my interviewing skills, and learned to focus on my physical health and mental well-being.
Among the most rewarding aspects of pageantry for me are the ability to represent your community or state and, depending on the pageant system, promote causes that are important. I have been able to use my crowns and banners over the years to advocate for childhood literacy. Reading is a gateway for learning and can change the trajectory of life. It is a critical skill … not just in your schoolage years, but for a lifetime.
My passion for reading started very early in life, and I appreciate all the time my parents spent reading with me. I was fortunate that this was a priority for them, and I believe that early exposure to words and stories helped me be ready for school and improved my potential as a student.
Third grade reading levels are a key indicator of graduation success. Up until third grade, we are all learning to read. By fourth grade, though, we need to read to learn. Students who are not proficient by the end of third grade are more likely to struggle in school, and 23% of students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are likely to drop out of school before graduation.
Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged and negatively impacted academic achievement. Research indicates that most children are four to 18 months behind where they should be. Students with fewer resources are further behind compared with their better-off counterparts.
Summertime can exacerbate this problem of “falling behind.” It is called summer learning loss. When the school year ends, children, especially those in high-poverty environments, struggle not only with basic needs like healthy food and safe places to spend their days, but without reinforcing and practicing what they had learned, skills can be forgotten over the summer months. The cumulative effect is a crisis in the making: By the fifth grade, summer learning loss can leave lowincome students two or three years behind their peers.
Summer learning loss can be prevented. This is National Summer Learning Week, a period dedicated to elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy, ensuring they return to school ready to succeed.
It is an honor to serve as Miss Pennsylvania Volunteer. I believe my education has truly helped me as I pursued pageantry and the other goals I have had for my life. Every child has potential, and I encourage all families to use the National Summer Learning Week and the remainder of the summer to focus on helping
Observing National Summer Learning Week helps to ensure that children return to school ready to succeed in the classroom.
their children read, learn, and be prepared for their next academic year.
Creating opportunities for summer learning sets the stage for innovation, creativity, and leadership in every community … the young people we nurture today are the foundation of our society tomorrow.
Have a great summer and continue to help your children pursue their dreams.