COMPASS Youth Collaborative: Peacebuilders & Junior Peacebuilders

COMPASS is excited to offer a dynamic, developmentally appropriate summer enrichment program for youth in grades K-8 taking place at Bellizzi and Burns Academy’s. COMPASS has operated Community School programs in Burns, and Bellizzi for several years and we have deep existing relationships with those school communities. We are looking forward to the opportunity to expand our reach to additional schools and families as Hartford Public Schools consolidates buildings over the summer. Relationship building will continue to be a major focus of COMPASS programming over the summer, intentionally infusing Restorative Practices and Social-Emotional Skill Building into all facets of the summer program. COMPASS staff will continue to facilitate daily Restorative Community Building Circles as a natural continuation of school-day practices.

Using the theme of “COMPASS Olympic Games,” program staff will capitalize on the excitement and adaptability of the 2020 Summer Olympics being held in Tokyo this summer. This theme will provide many opportunities to engage youth according to their interests and need, combatting summer learning loss and providing fun physical recreation opportunities. The Olympics theme provides ample opportunity for youth to learn history and culture from around the world, in addition to exposure to inspiring accomplishments of professional athletes. Reading selections that will be incorporated into programming will include biographical and non-fiction works such as Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull, Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper by Ann Malaspina, What are the Summer Olympics? by Gail Herman; as well as fictional books such as Olympic by Victoria Jamieson and How to Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals by Michael Phelps.

Summer enrichment participants will be able to participate in a variety of passion and interest-based curricula including LitArt, Kitchen-a-la-Carte, Kidz Science and World Sports. To provide opportunities for positive social recreation, youth will have the opportunity to attend weekly fun recreational field trips to places such as batting cages, bowling, the movies and pool days. In addition, youth will be exposed to a number of experiential learning field trips such as Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford Public Library, and Ancient Burial Grounds.

COMPASS Olympic Games is Allergen-Friendly.