New York City's Summer Rising program kicks off with 110,000 students enrolled
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams officially kicked off Summer Rising, the city's summer school and enrichment program for elementary and middle school students.
Enrollment is higher than ever this year with 110,000 students from across the five boroughs taking part, CBS2's Leah Mishkin reported Friday.
Parents, like Maria Arce, said the program is especially important after years of online learning during the pandemic.
"I was very worried that she was gonna slip behind," Arce said.
Arce's daughter just finished third grade at PS 188. She decided to enroll her in the school's Summer Rising program to make sure she's all caught up.
"I love the school," Arce said. "She's dealing with the same people that she knows through the school year."
Arce said her daughter gets academic classes and participates in activities like field trips, art, theater, robotics and dance.
"They're also safe. So it's three in one," Arce said.
"We saw far too long, we saw summer decline. Now we say summer rising. We saw a decline in opportunity, a decline in socialization, a decline in healthy nutritional meals," Adams said.
We're told the Adams administration added more hours for middle schoolers and expanded enrollment this summer.
Officials said they ensured access for students who are in temporary housing, students mandated to attend summer school and students with disabilities. But enrollment was open to all.
"Every young person deserves an opportunity," Adams said.
What do the students think?
"I love school and I like to learn," an 8-year-old said. "I want to be a teacher to learn everybody,"
The program officially started on Tuesday and runs through August.
