Freedom School Macon 2019

Appleton will host its third annual Freedom School™Macon at St. Paul's Episcopal Church June 10 - July 19, 2019.   Fifty rising 1st - 3rd graders will engage in full-day literacy and enrichment activities for six weeks to improve their reading skills, create positive feelings about learning, develop higher self-esteem, increase their cultural awareness, and better engage with their community.   Appleton partners with Children's Defense Fund to offer this program developed in 1995 for children who live in underserved and impoverished neighborhoods and who lack access to summer reading materials and enrichment opportunities.  This year's program again focuses on students  from Ingram-Pye, Riley and Southfield Elementary Schools in Bibb County, all of whom attend at no charge to their families.   These schools have among the lowest 3rd grade reading scores in the state of Georgia.  Nearly half of our scholars will be returning participants, and six will complete the entire three-year cycle of the Level I curriculum.  Appleton's Freedom School is one of two in Georgia and one of nearly 180 sites nationwide.