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Summer Fun Is Here at Beacon Place!
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While June 2015 may go down as one of the rainiest and dreariest months in Chicago history, it has been all bright days and smiles at Beacon Place since our summer programming began on June 17th.
Nearly 200 kids, moms, and neighbors eagerly arrived for the first day of our Summer Lunch Bunch program, and more than 50 students are participating in the Beacon Summer Tutoring Program and the Beacon Green Program.
Each day of our Summer Lunch Bunch program,
kids
enjoy lunch, play games and
sports, make crafts, spend time reading and
en
joy
special events, such as a visit from
therapy pets sponsored by Our House of Hope.
Every Thursd
ay, kids leave Beacon Place with backpacks full of fresh fruits and vegetables. This is critically important for neighbors who live in food deserts, and those children who depended on free breakfast and lunch at school throughout the y
ear.
This summer, the Beacon MOMS Program has expanded to include a group of little Beacon bu
ddies in our new
0-3 Early Childhood Program.
More than 45 volunteers ages 14 and older from 24 North Shore communities have contributed to our success this summer
. Thank you all! We are so appreciative of the tremendous support of so many.
If you have not visited Beacon Place yet, please feel free to stop by
.
Email
admin@beacon-place.org
for more information.
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Eager Learners Working Hard at the
Beacon Place
Summer Tutoring Program
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Even though school is out for the summer, the kids at Beacon Place are hard at work in our Beacon Summer Tutoring Program. More than 45 kindergarten through 8th graders are working four hours per week throughout the summer to improve their reading and math skills.
Thanks to a grant from the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, we were able to purchase Google Chromebooks and other teaching supplies. With guidance from professional teachers from six different North Shore communities and dedicated volunteers, the Beacon Summer Tutoring Program ensures kids gain academic confidence and the skills they need for the upcoming school year.
On Mondays and Thursdays, the children meet for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Initial reading assessments were completed and students have been given age-appropriate books to read aloud with tutors.
The kindergarten group has a separate, specific curriculum of reading, writing and mathematics.
Elementary learners entering 1st through 5th grade have access to a Google Chromebook for more than 40 minutes each day, improving their
technology skills while practicing individualized math and reading programs.
In group stations, students participate in literature discussions, and practice
math strategies using cutting-edge learning techniques.
Students in 6th through 8th grades have a special spot in the tutoring program. They work with the younger children, allowing them to develop leadership skills. E
ach student uses a Google Chromebook to research and record information on current events and past history.
All students have homework that they are responsible for completing with a parent and logging for success and mastery.
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Keep Up the Pace for Beacon Place!
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To support our enhanced programming, we will be involved in two fun-filled fundraisers.
Join us on Monday, July 27th
for our 2nd Annual Community Walk-a-Thon!
As the most well-received event of the summer, the Community Walk-a-Thon was first initiated by a group of teen and college volunteers. The Beacon Place community walked more than 500 miles and raised more than $5,000 with the help of our generous sponsors: The Deublin Company, Classic Toyota Group, and Quest Products. This year, the community has set a goal to double that amount and raise $10,000!
 On September 12th, Beacon Place will also be participating in the 18th Annual Long Grove Heritage 5K Run & 3K Walk for the first time.
Our programming continues to grow and these two events give us and the Beacon Place families the opportunity to step forward for an even brighter future. We hope that you will join us and let's keep up the pace for Beacon Place!
Become a Beacon Place Walk-A-Thon Sponsor!
- $10,000 - Main sponsorship of the event, lead recognition in all publicity
- $2,500 - Shared sponsorship for up to four organizations with equal recognition in all publicity
- $500-$2,000 - Supporter sponsorship with recognition as desired in specific publicity
- $500 or less - General donor, helping to make it all happen!
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To the Carmel Catholic High School Varsity Football Team for coming to volunteer at Beacon Place and leading an awesome clinic of "Run, Pass and Fun" for kids of all ages!
To members of St. Patrick's of Lake Forest and St. Paul the Apostle for their summer food drive that helped stock the pantry shelves at Beacon Place!
To the LaFasto Family for sponsoring the Summer Pizza Party for kids, moms and volunteers!
And to Dr. Donaldo Batiste, S
uperintendent of Waukegan Public Schools, for v
isiting Beacon Place and loa
ni
ng us a truck to pick up food for the weekly Thursday backpacks!
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Check out the fresh face of Beacon Place on
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A Message from Barb,
Beacon Place Executive Director Dear Friends, It should come as no surprise to parents that our children "slip" a little during the summer. But you may be surprised to learn that the children in the Beacon Place community experience "summer learning loss" to a greater degree than other students throughout Lake County. Research noted in the article "Making Summers Count" published by Jennifer McCombs demonstrates that summer learning loss is greater among low income students. Of even greater concern, summer learning loss is accumulative over the summers, resulting in a substantial difference in the achievement gap between the two income groups.
 Beacon Place aims to change those statistics. To help bridge this gap, we are providing individualized tutoring support for 45 children this summer. For some, we'll be remediating to make sure they're ready for the next grade. For others, we'll be providing opportunities to stay fresh and learn new things. Thanks to a generous grant from the First Presbyterian Church in Lake Forest, we have been able to purchase Chromebooks and other materials to support our efforts.
We look forward to working with these dedicated children and their families over the next seven weeks, and I look forward to sharing our results at the end of the summer.
Thank you to our donors, volunteers, corporate and organizational sponsors for helping us make a difference in the lives of so many families. We have many tummies to fill and minds to grow and inspire.
Thank you for being a part of our mission.
Barb Karacic
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Beacon Place
603 S. McAlister
Waukegan, IL 60085
224-572-9330
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