Newsletters

2023 Summer Advantage

June 19 – July 21, 2023
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Summit54 takes great pride in offering the ONLY summer academic program available to elementary students in Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs. Summit54 has sponsored the award-winning Summer Advantage program since 2012, positively impacting more than 8000 students. New this year, Aspen School District will partner in the Basalt program and provide daily bus transportation for its students. We’re thrilled to be able to share this program with Aspen students!

The 2023 program will span five weeks, operating Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., starting June 19 and concluding on July 22. 600+ elementary aged students will participate in this summer’s program.

The dedicated program managers, educators and other Summer Advantage staff all play a vital role in the program’s success. Each year, all educators participate in a three-day mandatory training session.

The Summer Advantage day begins with breakfast in the classroom, providing teachers time to get to know their students and learn about their families. Breakfast is followed by Focused Kids brain exercises to help children relax and prepare to learn. On M-Th, we spend two hours on literacy and one hour on math. The low ratio of scholars to teachers (11-1) allows us to provide a great deal of personal attention to each student. In the morning, you’ll typically see teachers and teaching assistants working with 5-6 scholars, while another small group is working independently. Math is followed by a hot healthy lunch and then active recess. The afternoons offer two enrichment programs such as dance, music, art, science, etc. Each scholar has two enrichment programs on M & W, and two other enrichment programs on Tu & Th. FunFridays feature a guest speaker and field trip. We also include a student led community service project and college visit.

Parents are required to attend a mandatory parent meeting prior to the start of the program. They sign a contract promising to have their child attend the program every day unless sick, be on-time, supervise 20 minutes of nightly reading, maintain a reading log, and attend a parent/teacher conference half way through the five-week program. Parents are also invited to an end-of-program parent luncheon and graduation ceremony.

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After-School Tutoring Program

We are delighted to share that Summit54 successfully provided FREE After-School Small Group Tutoring to more than 275 elementary students again during the 2022/23 school year. This completes our third consecutive year of providing After-School tutoring. Our commitment to supporting these young learners has remained unwavering. We are thrilled to share incredible testimonials from our tutors about the impact of this program!

In the After-School Tutoring program, students received one hour of tutoring immediately after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The sessions took place in Carbondale, Basalt, and Glenwood Springs, ensuring accessibility for the students within their own school communities.

The program accommodates the needs of our students throughout the academic year, offering Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions. While some students eagerly participated in all three sessions, others found success in one or two sessions, benefiting from tailored instruction every step of the way.

Unlike more affluent families who have the means to hire private tutors, the families Summit54 serves are unable to do so. By offering free tutoring, we help bridge the gap to ensure that all students have the support they need to succeed academically.

Furthermore, our licensed teachers, who are essential in delivering these sessions, are paid $65/one hour session by Summit54. The extra income is helpful for many of our exceptional teachers.

The positive influence derived from the after-school program is abundantly evident. We have enclosed herein a few of the many commendations from teachers who have witnessed the remarkable progress of their students. These testimonials speak volumes about the effectiveness of our tutoring initiatives and the lasting impact they have on young minds.

FREE AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING IS BACK

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2-TO-1 MATCH OPPORTUNITY:
2022 SUMMER ADVANTAGE PROGRAM

We are excited to announce that Bren Simon and John & Jessica Fullerton are offering a two-to-one match opportunity (up to $100,000) to fund the 2022 Summer Advantage program.

Please click below to support this important program and triple your impact during our two-to-one match opportunity!

The Roaring Fork School District is our partner in providing the annual Summer Advantage program, providing three elementary school facilities, utilities, janitorial service, food service, bus transportation, communications support, and $100,000 cash each year.

LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Thank you for your on-going support of Summit 54 and its mission to serve our Valley’s most vulnerable youth. Our work is more important now than ever before. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused school closures for children and lost wages for parents. In both of these critical areas, Summit 54’s Summer Advantage program is ready to help.

We are fully staffed and prepared to commence the FREE Summer Advantage academic, physical fitness, life enrichment and nutrition program. Additional hygiene, sanitation and social distancing measures are being developed to protect scholars and staff. Recent news reports offer hopeful signs that some measures currently in place will be lifted. We remain hopeful that regulations will allow the program to operate from June 22 – July 24. Online applications are currently available in both Spanish and English at  http://www.summeradvantage.org. Parents may also call 866-924-7226 (press 2 for Spanish) to complete an application over the phone. 

The economic hardship caused by Covid-19 has greatly affected many of our Valley’s middle-income families, as well as low-income families. Consequently, more parents will have limited resources for childcare and youth camps this summer.  In order for parents to get back to work, they will need affordable childcare.  Missed learning opportunities due to school closures makes the Summer Advantage academic support even more appealing. The FREE Summit 54 sponsored program provides the opportunity for Kindergarten through 4th grade students to receive two hours of literacy, one hour of math, nutritious meals, physical activity, and enrichment programing in a safe, fun, nurturing environment. Free bus transportation is also provided.  Summit 54 partners with the Roaring Fork School District and Summer Advantage USA to provide this program in the Roaring Fork Valley.  

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping our Valley’s work force get back to work through your support of this important FREE program.

Sincerely,

Terri Caine, Executive Director
Summit 54
terri@summit54.org

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TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Romina Chissum Lagos

2nd Grade Dual Teacher with Summer Advantage
3rd Grade Bilingual Teacher at Basalt Elementary

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Romina moved to Colorado with her family in 2013 at the age of 18. She then attended Colorado Mountain College and worked as Assistant Director for the Parent Mentor Program, part of the non-profit, Valley Settlement, where she learned about the Summer Advantage Program and thought it would be a great first step into a career in education. After her second summer as a Teacher’s Assistant for Summer Advantage, Romina attended the University of Northern Colorado, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a concentration in Culturally and Logistically Diverse Education. We are so fortunate to have Romina back with our scholars for a third summer!
How has SA influenced / helped you grow as an educator?
It has helped me understand the importance of summer programming to support the students that need it.  As a teacher assistant, I was able to get to know the teaching job better and fall in love with it.

You won the Basalt Elementary School “Star Assessment” Contest for teachers last summer, achieving an average five-months gain in math and reading for your students during the five-week program. What did the nationally used assessment measure and why do you think your students were so successful?
The pre- and post-Star Assessment measures the growth of the students in math and reading from the beginning of the program to the end of the program. I think the students were successful because of the teamwork with my teaching assistant, Taylor. She did an awesome job jumping in and helping with instruction. We did a lot of small group instruction, where we rotated students in the different centers. I think this was key to the success of students. We differentiated the small groups by what the students needed and targeted different skills depending on those needs. 

With all of the uncertainty and missed education for our scholars from COVID-19, what do you think will help them succeed in the next school year?
I think continuing the partnership between school and families. Community engagement is going to be key moving forward. 

What is your favorite part of being involved with Summer Advantage?My favorite part about being involved with Summer Advantage is the format of the program and all the fun activities there are for students. I love the Friday field trips and the opportunities that come with them to learn and explore in a fun way!

SUMMIT 54 “FRIENDRAISER”
Thursday, August 27
5:30 – 7:30
Location TBA

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ASPEN ROTARY CLUB
CARBONDALE ROTARY CLUB
ANONYMOUS GRANT
MARK & JENNIFER STYSLINGER FOUNDATION
FREEDMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
GARY & LAURA LAUDER FOUNDATION

Summit 54 is participating in “Giving Tuesday Now” to help raise funds for Covid-19 related expenses in order to implement new safety and sanitation measures and keep our scholars and staff safe during the 2020 Summer Advantage Program.

Thanks to your generosity, more than 5000 scholars were served over the last eight years through the Summer Advantage Roaring Fork Valley program!

Last summer, our scholars were 84% Latino, 76% were English language learners, and 77% received free and reduced lunch. Summer Advantage scholars advance 2-3 months annually in reading and math during the five-week program. National research indicates that low-income children without access to summer learning opportunities regress 2-3 months compared to our scholar’s average 2.5 month gain.

Summer Advantage serves 31% of all Roaring Fork School District elementary students each summer. When our highly-qualified teachers work with the lowest performers in the district during the summer, ALL STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS BENEFIT.  Come fall, teachers can move their entire classes forward more quickly, without needing to spend 9-12 weeks reviewing the prior year’s material.

RECENT GRANTS RECEIVED BY SUMMIT 54

Your generosity is being matched by the following organizations:

Alpine Bank
Aspen Community Foundation 
Aspen Thrift Shop
City of Aspen Non-Profit Community Grant
Fidel Duke Fund
J. Robert Young Foundation
Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund
The Melvin and Bren Simon Charitable Foundation
T.R.U.E. Grant through Western Colorado Community Foundation
Wend Collective

As well as many local family foundations
and more than 100 generous individual donors.

SUMMER PREPARATION UNDERWAY 

Update from Amber Deckard, President of Summer Advantage USA:

We are looking forward to another amazing summer! Hiring has begun, and we have identified Leader Teams for all three schools. We are now in conversations with Roaring Fork School District to set expectations and organize all aspects of the program.

Staffing for each of the schools is also underway – we are 82% staffed at Basalt, 82% staffed at Crystal River, and 81% staffed at Glenwood Springs.  

The schools asked for flyers to promote Summer Advantage in preparation for February parent-teacher conferences and we were happy to oblige. Flyers have been printed and shipped to all applicable schools promoting the opportunity and letting parents know that scholar enrollment starts in March. 

FINANCIAL STABILITY OF SUMMIT 54

Thanks to your generous support, Summit 54 has always maintained a positive cash reserve during its ten year history. Your trust is very important to Summit 54. We want you to know that our Board maintains solid financial discipline, a commitment to maximizing the impact of our work in the community and planning for the long-term sustainability of the programs we support. 

Summit 54 has never required a loan. Every year, we have raised all monies necessary to fund the programs we sponsor through your generous support, community grants, governmental grants, foundation support, and broad-based community support through more than 100 individual gifts. 

SUMMIT 54’S NEWLY EXPANDED BOARD

TO BETTER REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY

Terri Caine, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board 
Terri’s experience spans over twenty years in sales and marketing, public relations and fundraising. Prior to co-founding Summit 54, she was the Director of the Snowmass Resort Association, Communications Director for the Aspen Skiing Company, Senior VP for the Aspen Glen development company, and managing broker for Four Peaks Development in Aspen. She currently serves on the Theatre Aspen Board of Trustees as well as previously serving on the boards of Aspen Country Day School, Christmas Wish, Snowmass Repertory Theatre and Rotary Club of Aspen. She is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego.

Gretchen Cole, Board Member
Gretchen is a placement counselor for students seeking an independent high school. Most recently she was the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Aspen Country Day School. Previously, she was an Associate Director of Philanthropy for the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and Director of Mountaineering Operations for Mountain Travel, a California-based global adventure travel company. Gretchen graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. 

Jon Fox-Rubin, Board Member
Jon has a PhD from MIT and is an entrepreneur who has led many award winning organizations. He was CEO of Hypercar Inc., and worked at Dornier GmbH (now part of EADS) in Germany on a NASA Space Shuttle project. He formed FoxRubin Limited in 2013 to consult with firms and individuals in a variety of sectors including clean technology & energy, advanced materials & manufacturing, public policy, team building, and commercialization strategy. He has served on the Manaus Fund, Valley Settlement, and Mountain Family Health Centers. 

Estela Lopez Gudino, Board Member
Estela is an immigrant from Mexico who came to the United States with her family in search of a better life. She learned English with the help of a volunteer program. Through this experience and many others with Roaring Fork Valley non-profit organizations, she has become a leader in the Roaring Fork Valley Latino community and embodies the long history of immigrant contributions to our society. She works as a physical trainer in the valley.

Soledad Hurst, Board Member
Soledad is a graduate of Yale Law School and practiced at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, and was an investment banker at Allen & Company. She is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees for Theater Aspen and serves on the Aspen Community Foundation Board of Directors. Soledad is also an Honorary Trustee and the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Aspen Country Day School, and previously served as the Board Chair of FINCA, and is a past board member for Children’s Hospital in Denver, Vanguard Advisory Board, Aspen Institute, the Roundabout Theater and The Buddy Program in Aspen.

Fred Lodge, Board Member
Fred is a retired acquisitions attorney. He spent most of his career as a partner with Morrison & Foerster, working in New York City, Tokyo and Denver. He received a B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D., degree cum laude, from Fordham University. Fred is active in several community efforts including land conservancy. He recently led the Aspen Valley Land Trust as President of the Board.

Rob Olsen, Board Member
Ron is a seasoned entrepreneur with a variety of professional endeavors centered on building and growing companies. Ron’s passion for education is evidenced by his work as CEO with Remote-Learner, his involvement with Metro State University of Denver’s Center for Innovation, and his commitment to Summit54. Previous roles have included C-level responsibilities at angel and venture capital-backed start-ups, as well as investment management roles in both venture capital and family office firms. 

Rob Pew, Honorary Board Member
Rob is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Steelcase Inc. His focus is on investing in businesses and non-profits that are working to solve societal problems through design from the bottom up. Rob served for 25 years on the board of The Institute of Design in Chicago and today serves on the boards of the Aspen Community Foundation, the Steelcase Foundation, and Manaus. A long-time resident of the Roaring Fork Valley, Rob embraces the Aspen Idea of healthy mind, body and spirit. 

Bren Simon, Honorary Board Member
Bren is the president of MBS Associates Inc., LLC in Carmel, Indiana. She was previously president of Gambit Capital Management, and the owner of Corporate Design Associates Inc. She directs both the Mel and Bren Simon Charitable Trust and the Max Simon Charitable Trust, co-founder of The Family Support Center, a 24-hour child abuse care center, and serves on the board of directors of CHIP (the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention), the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, the board of advisors for the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund, the Heartland Film Festival and Dance Kaleidoscope. She is a trustee of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indiana Museum of African American History and the Indianapolis Zoo Executive Prize Committee.

Lynda Weiser, Board Member
Lynda has volunteered for numerous nonprofits and is currently a member of the Theatre Aspen Board of Directors. Lynda is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where she played number one for the OU varsity tennis team. Her career experience includes working as the Director of Sales for Reed International Publishing, marketing for Cable Holdings Inc, and PR and marketing for the Jerome Hotel. Lynda is a Certified Life Coach and was the Public Relations Director for the first Jazz Aspen Music Festival in 1990.

STACEY SCHMELA HIRED AS
ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Stacey joined Summit 54 in October, in the new position of Associate Executive Director, where she assists Terri Caine and the Board in continuing to bring the Summer Advantage program to students in the lower Roaring Fork Valley. Stacey contributes fresh ideas and assists in grant application writing, communications, community outreach, sponsorship and more. Feel free to contact her at stacey@summit54.org if you have any questions or suggestions.