Buffalo, NY – The School of Education and Human Services at Canisius University is hosting a free Say Yes summer camp for children entering pre-K through grade 6. The camp is one of nearly 30 Say Yes camps delivering a blend of academic and social enrichment activities to more than 1,400 children throughout the city of Buffalo this summer.
The Canisius camp is being administered almost entirely by Canisius students and alumni educators. Families whose children attend Buffalo Public Schools in the college's neighboring community received priority enrollment.
"Our partnership with Say Yes is a natural fit for Canisius," says Elizabeth Turner '04, MSEd '08, director of educational partnerships at Canisius and camp director. "As a Catholic, Jesuit and urban institution we have a responsibility to leverage the strength of our educational resources to support and grow meaningful connections with our community. Our involvement with Say Yes summer camp does just that."
In addition to the required reading, writing, math and recreational learning opportunities, the Say Yes summer camp at Canisius also includes a series of unique brain-boosting activities. Children receive daily one-on-one literacy tutoring from Canisius camp counselors trained in the Reading Ready approach. Campers also participate in Tinkergarten, an outdoor educational program that focuses on open-ended exploration and play, during which children actively engage in imagining, exploring and problem solving. All female campers are enrolled in Girl Scouts of Western New York and earn two badges by the completion of the summer camp.
Say Yes Buffalo's mission is to remove barriers to educational attainment, workforce participation and economic mobility for students in public and charter schools in the region. The Say Yes summer camp program provides academic support and extracurricular activity, including physical activity, social-emotional supports and field trips. Free breakfast and lunches are also provided.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
