Mayor Elorza to Proclaim Thursday, July 13 Summer Learning Day

PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza will join BELL (Building Educated Leaders for
Life) Chief Executive Officer Lauren Sanchez Gilbert Ed.D., Vice President of
Organizational Effectiveness Dan Dobin, and summer program students, known as
scholars, at Young Woods Elementary School to declare Thursday, July 13, 2017 Summer
Learning Day. Press is invited to tour classrooms and observe enriching lessons and
activities aimed at preventing summer learning loss. In 2016, a report issued by a
Summer Learning Task Force convened by Mayor Elorza noted that on average across the
summers of 2013, 2014, and 2015, 56 percent of Providence students experienced
summer learning loss in reading and 50 percent in math. After the signing, Mayor
Elorza will visit summer programs throughout Providence to highlight the importance
of summer learning opportunities for youth.

Founded in 1992, BELL is a national leader in evidence-based out-of-school time
learning (OST) programs for PK-8 students that close the achievement gap in
underserved communities. BELL partners with schools, school districts, and other
youth-serving organizations to reach 14,500 public school students through its
summer and after-school programs. This summer, BELL was selected by the City of
Providence and the Providence Public School District along with three other
non-profit organizations to expand free summer learning programs for families.