My Summer Learning Experience

I loved school! All throughout elementary school I stayed on Honor Roll, I was very involved and had great relationships with both students and faculty at 12th & Marion. My school was located in the city of Reading and I lived just a few blocks away. However, with my mom raising my younger sister and I as a single parent, what was important was having somewhere for my sister and I to go while our mom was working. There was a daycare in our elementary school called Latchkey, however due to high costs of daycare my mom was unable to afford it. That was until United Way chose to support my mom. Their organization paid for a majority of our daycare.
 
Latchkey had a huge impact on my life. It was a safe place to stay out of the city and they kept us educated, fed and engaged. Two of the Latchkey instructors were heavily involved in the community theater and encouraged me to join. I then participated in five or more plays and musicals. The experience inspired me to participate in school talent shows, play violin in the orchestra and sing in the chorus. I was also involved in clubs like peer mediators, running club, DARE (kids against drugs) and more. Being able to walk down the hall to daycare after a club meeting made being enrolled in Latchkey that much better and easier for my mom. 

During summer months, they would keep us learning with fun educational activities, such as incubating chicken eggs to see them hatch and learning how life cycles work watching larva turn to butterflies. At least once a week we went on fieldtrips to keep us active and educate us in engaging ways. My favorites were our unforgettable trips to the Ben Franklin Institute and the Baltimore Aquarium.

Latchkey taught me many things, from knowing all US presidents consecutively to how to be kind and helpful to those around you. I will never forget my experience. I still keep in contact with both peers and faculty. I am so thankful that United Way gave me this opportunity.