Editors note 7/18/24

By Fletcher Farrar

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There was good news as Camp Compass ended this week. The free five-week summer learning program, a joint effort of District 186 public schools and the nonprofit Compass for Kids, served a record 940 low-income elementary school children to prevent summer learning loss. Assessment data show that with morning instruction the children are improving in math, reading and social-emotional skills, while afternoon field trips and swimming make camp fun. At this week's "stakeholder breakfast," supporters, including Mayor Misty Buscher, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, Sen. Doris Turner and many others, heard Jennifer Gill, the school superintendent, not only celebrate the success of Camp Compass, but also worry out loud about how to pay for it next year, now that federal American Rescue Plan funding has run out. The room sensed that we must find a way, this is too good to lose, and paying for programs like Camp Compass is what governments and private donors are for. – Fletcher Farrar, editor

About The Author

Fletcher Farrar

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Fletcher Farrar is the editor of Illinois Times .

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