Summer Learning Support
YMCA Power Scholars is a five-week, research-based summer learning program that transforms the traditional “summer slide” into a season of academic and personal growth.
Introduced by our Y in 2022, the program is led by certified teachers with a primary goal of reducing summer learning loss and addressing other academic challenges through rigorous math and reading instruction.
Mornings combine whole-group and small-group settings, focusing on math and literacy standards. The literacy block emphasizes the science of reading and incorporates guided reading along with differentiated instruction to meet students’ varied needs.
Afternoons are dedicated to multidisciplinary enrichment opportunities such as physical education, STEM, art, music, yoga and more. Each Friday, students participate in field trips to local parks, museums, college campuses and other community sites, extending and enriching classroom learning.
While students nationwide typically lose 1.5 months of reading skills and 2.5 months of math over the summer, Power Scholars participants gain more than 2 months in reading and 1.5 months in math, closing gaps and building momentum for the school year ahead.
Program Outcomes
1,201 Students
in Wake and Chatham Counties have taken part in Power Scholars since 2022.
100 Licensed Teachers
have found meaningful summer employment since the program's inception.
2 Months
of literacy gains made by students in Summer 2025, demonstrating measurable improvement in foundational reading skills.
1.5 Months
of math improvement, showing growth in understanding numbers, using math strategies and explaining their thinking.