Summer Innovation Fellows

The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) believes summer learning programs provide a unique and flexible opportunity for leaders to try out and measure the effectiveness of new ideas and strategies, creative partnerships, and policies before scaling. The severity and enormity of the societal challenges we are facing in America require entrepreneurial leaders to pursue innovative solutions. NSLA created its Summer Innovation Fellowship Program to empower summer program leaders who are innovating the out-of-school time field in service to youth.

NSLA would like to congratulate our 2022 Summer Innovation Fellows. Through generous support from our partners, our partners will receive:

• $20,000 towards implementing an in-person, virtual or hybrid summer learning program
• A personal NSLA Coach to work with them regularly in their planning
• Access to NSLA tools, resources, and events to support their work
• Mentoring opportunities with experienced role models and leaders in the field
• Free registration to NSLA’s annual Summer Changes Everything national conference

Preview the application here!

Apply here!

For more information, email Leslie Gabay-Swanston, Director of External Affairs, at leslie@summerlearning.org

Congratulations to:

Simone Gamble

Simone Gamble (they/them/she/her) is an NYC-based community organizer and founder of the JEDI consultancy OAAARS. OAAARS is a people of color-led consultancy that provides social justice-centered training and education to workplaces looking to create saf(er), equitable, and inclusive work environments. We provide folks with the tools to become agents of change in the workplace and beyond.

Fiver’s Whole Self program consists of social and emotional components that enable youth to learn, practice, and exemplify Fiver values and attributes wherever they go. These character traits help youth develop resilience and they serve as protective factors combatting the stressors that negatively impact their mental health. Simone will be revising the Whole Self Curriculum with a racial equity lens and adding new program components that reflect Fiver’s goals to instill youth with the skills required to be engaged leaders and compassionately confront prejudices and systems of oppression that directly impact their lives.

Lerel Frederick

Lerel Frederick is an experienced music educator, consultant, and leader in the music industry. Born and raised in Fort Pierce, he understands the needs of the community and knows first-hand how transformative and meaningful quality education, the arts, and access to culturally enriching experiences can be. He founded the ZOE LIVE Creative Arts Academy (ZLCAA) in 2016, and continues to serve as the Executive Director, with the vision of impacting the lives of youth and the general community through excellence in music education and performance.

Lerel will be creating a partnership between ZLCAA, Indian River State College and Horizons National to establish the first Horizons program in Florida. Horizons National programs have a long track record of success, student impact and sustainability. ZLCAA will lead the proposed program locally and infuse their approach and focus on arts and music to complement the proven Horizons program.

2022 Summer Policy Internship Program

Washington, D.C.

The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) has teamed up with the NBA Foundation to recruit college students of color for a paid public policy internship in Washington, DC this summer. Do you know any college students who may be interested? If so, please encourage them to apply ASAP via this link!

Students will work on Capitol Hill or with a public policy organization. They will be immersed in professional development throughout this internship experience, which can lead to full-time employment opportunities! Interns will receive a $4,000 stipend plus $1,000 for a professional wardrobe, in addition to having their housing and transportation costs covered.

Application Criteria

• Identifies as a person of color
• Possesses an interest, passion and commitment to public service, government, and/or politics
• Willing to learn and become more involved as a leader in the summer learning community
• 3.0 GPA is preferred
• Students who are eligible for the Pell Grant, have DACA status, and/or receive federal financial aid as a student with disabilities, are preferred
• Live, attend school, or be an alumni of a summer learning program that operate in one of the following NBA cities:
  Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, CA; Memphis, TN; Miami, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Minneapolis, MN; New Orleans, LA; New York City, NY; Oklahoma City, OK; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Sacramento, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; San Antonio, TX; San Francisco, CA; Toronto, ON; Washington, DC.

The deadline to apply is March 2, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact NSLA’s Director, Programs and Systems Quality, Leslie Gabay-Swanston, at leslie@summerlearning.org. Together, we can showcase how summer can promote learning and change lives.

Apply Now!

The National Summer Learning Association is proud to add and welcome the following accomplished national leaders to our National Board of Directors.

Jon Fortt

Anchor, CNBC | Owner, Fortt Media

Jon Fortt is co-anchor of CNBC’s bi-coastal tech-focused program “TechCheck” (M-F, 11AM-12PM ET/8AM-9AM PT). Previously, he co-anchored CNBC’s “Squawk Alley” and prior served as an on-air editor based at CNBC’s global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Fortt joined CNBC as technology correspondent in July 2010, working from CNBC’s Silicon Valley bureau where he covered the companies, start-ups and trends that are driving innovation in the industry.

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Fatima Shama

Executive Director, The Fresh Air Fund

Fatima Shama is the executive director of The Fresh Air Fund, the over 140 year-old nonprofit agency that provides free summer experiences for New York City children from low-income communities through summer camps and a host families program in rural and suburban communities across 13 state, and provides year-round academic enrichment and support both at camp in New York City.

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Dr. Rachel J. Thornton

Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Dr. Rachel Thornton is associate professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She holds a joint appointment in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also serves as Associate Medical Director for Pediatric Managed Care in the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians.

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Stephan Turnipseed

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Pitsco Education

Stephan Turnipseed is the executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Pitsco Education. To this role he brings a lifetime of experience as an educational thought leader, advocate of hands-on learning, and entrepreneur. Turnipseed is the former president of LEGO® Education North America. During his tenure there, he spearheaded the effort to expand the company’s scope from product sales to the development of innovative educational resources.

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Summer Innovation Fellows

It is often said that “necessity is the mother of invention.” The National Summer Learning Association believes summer learning programs provide a unique and flexible opportunity for leaders to try out and measure the effectiveness of new ideas and strategies, creative partnerships and policies before scaling. The severity and enormity of the societal challenges we are facing in America requires entrepreneurial leaders pursuing innovative solutions. Congratulations to:

Bianca Love

Bianca Love is an internationally recognized musician, producer, teacher and entrepreneur. Born and raised in New Orleans, she realizes the racial inequalities in the education system and daily life that plagues the city and is seeking to establish a music program for underprivileged youth. Through instrumental/music production coaching and songwriting, she strives to help these youth express themselves and find release through music.

Dennis Mabasa

Dennis Mabasa is an eco-educator and program manager from Kalibo, Philippines, currently working as the Assistant Manager of Youth Engagement at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Through his 9 years of experience in youth workforce development, instructional design, and community engagement, he has built a proven track record of managing and evaluating high quality internships and educational programs and developing strong and inclusive communities. Dennis is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and he joyfully includes his culture, identity and values into his work.

Howard Forbes

Howard Forbes is a native to the island of St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has always had a passion for furthering his quest for science and earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) in 2010 and a Masters degree in Marine and Environmental Science also from UVI in 2014. In the same year, he took on his current role as the St. Thomas Coordinator for the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service where he coordinates several programs that engage V.I. youth and the larger community in learning more about marine and environmental science as well as leading a combination of both waste reduction and glass recycling programs. Howard enjoys being able to give back to his community whilst working to inspire other Virgin Islanders to become better environmental stewards.

Congressional Summer Interns

By empowering the next generation of passionate young leaders to kick-start their careers in public service, we get one step closer to creating a Congress that is truly reflective of the beautiful diversity in America. NSLA proudly partnered with College to Congress to bring more students to Congress! College to Congress is a nonprofit organization that creates pathways for students to intern in Congress who otherwise could not afford to do so. Congratulations to:

George Castillo

George Castillo is an alumni of Summerbridge – San Francisco summer program. He is a graduate of Allegheny College where he majored in International Studies and French. He has a strong interest in immigration policy, national security/ foreign affairs, and economic justice. George plans to attend law school and would like to work in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs as a Legal Aide.

Elaine Ansah

Elaine Ansah is an alumni of Delaware College Scholars. She is a senior at the University of Delaware majoring in Political Science & Government with minors in History and Africana Studies. A successful career for her would include updating legislation that has adversely affected minorities, teaching a new generation of change-makers how to make their voices heard, and producing results that will help minorities across the nation.

Jacques Thompson

Jacques Thompson is a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania and an alumni of the MERIT Health Leadership Academy program. He considers himself to be a changemaker, interested in police reform, education reform, and health equity. As a long term goal, he would like to pursue a career as a senator, representing his home state of Maryland.

Reine Duevi

Reine Duevi is an alumni of the NJ LEEP program. She is a junior at Rutgers University majoring in Political Science. Her dream job is to be a future Supreme Court Justice and is interested in voting rights, the 19th amendment, and immigration laws. She would eventually like to establish herself as an expert of affairs in Chile, Argentina, and West Africa.