Brooklyn charter school combating learning loss with Summer Boost program

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Coney Island Prep, a charter school in Brooklyn, has joined the Summer Boost program for the first time this year, aiming to address learning gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The five-week literacy intensive program, set to conclude on Aug. 6, focuses on phonics instruction, reading, and writing skills for students in grades 1-4.

One of the students in the program is second grader Isabella. "I want to be a doctor," she shared, expressing her excitement about the Summer Boost program and how it has helped her improve her literacy skills, a vital step toward achieving her dream of working in the medical field. "I've been learning how to break down words, sound out a lot of words, and I have written so much fine doing that. Sometimes I get my whiteboards and we draw, we write the word on the whiteboards and we sound them out each sound."

Isabella said the program has also fostered a sense of community among the other students. "Last year, I made some friends and now we just like, we all like our partners."

Karen Johnson, the chief executive officer of Coney Island Prep, shared insights on the program's impact. "I've been able to come in and see them in their class...