STEM Alliance Co-Op Summer Program Earns National Recognition

MAMARONECK, NY — A local summer enrichment program is earning national recognition, and more importantly, giving students in the Mamaroneck School District a leg up when they return to their classrooms in the fall.

The STEM Alliance announced that its Co-Op Summer Enrichment Program has been selected as one of only eight nationwide finalists for the prestigious New York Life Foundation’s Excellence in Summer Learning Award. This is the second year in a row that the program has advanced to the finalist stage.

In collaboration with the National Summer Learning Association, The New York Life Foundation presents the Excellence in Summer Learning Award annually to programs that demonstrate exceptional educational practices and outcomes during the summer break. The award recognizes organizations that succeed in engaging students, preventing learning loss, and closing achievement gaps, thereby equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed academically and beyond.

The Co-Op Summer Enrichment Program, which was designed to inspire and empower students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), is a "summer slide" intervention initiative. The program combines summer fun — swimming, recreation, arts and crafts, field trips and more — with hands-on academic enrichment for low income children in the Mamaroneck School District. 90 percent of the campers receive free or reduced lunch and all students receive a scholarship to attend.

"We are thrilled and honored to be named a national finalist for New York Life Foundation’s Excellence in Summer Learning Award," Margaret Käufer, President of The STEM Alliance, said. "This recognition validates our commitment to providing transformative summer experiences that create equal access to quality summer experiences for all children. At Co-Op, we know what research proves to be true: summer matters in the academic lives of children."

As one of the eight finalists, the Co-Op Summer Enrichment Program will now undergo a rigorous evaluation process by a panel of experts from NSLA. The panel will review program components such as instructional design, academic support, social-emotional development, family engagement, and overall impact on students' learning and growth.

"Co-Op focuses on the power of enrichment in the lives of children," Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent Robert Shaps said. "As a District, we support the idea that varied, hands-on learning experiences help children develop critical hard and soft skills that serve them in the classroom and in their social and emotional well being."

The winner of the New York Life Foundation Excellence in Summer Learning Award will be honored at NSLA’s annual Summer Learning conference in Washington, DC this fall. Regardless of the outcome, The STEM Alliance says that it is proud of the work of their diverse staff who create unforgettable and enriching summer experiences for 300 campers and Leaders-in-Training every summer.

"Co-Op is truly a cooperative. We could not accomplish this work without our partnership with the Mamaroneck School District as well as support from the Town and Village of Mamaroneck," Polly Lagana, The STEM Alliance’s Chief Resource Development Officer, explained. In addition to municipal support, they also receive support from private donors and local groups like Larchmont Avenue Church, the Larchmont Mamaroneck Lions Club, the Brandel Murphy Grant Foundation (a Lions program), the Larchmont Temple, Sedona Taphouse, the Junior League of Westchester on the Sound and St. John’s Episcopal Church. Due to the community’s commitment to this work, The STEM Alliance is able to empower young learners through engaging summer experiences.

As one of the finalists for the Excellence in Summer Learning Award, the NSLA honored Co-Op by sending a former Co-Op student along with a counselor to Washington D.C. for a youth leadership conference last week. You can follow their journey via The STEM Alliance’s Instagram stories.

You can also find more information about The STEM Alliance's Co-Op Summer Enrichment Program here.