The following interview is quoted in its entirety from the most recent Summer Times: Your Resource for Making the Most of Summer (a publication by the National Summer Learning Association). But first, learn a little bit more about Wes Moore.
About Wes Moore:
Moore is a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, social entrepreneur, and host of Beyond Belief on the Oprah Winfrey Network. His first book The Other Wes Moore became an instant New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.
Moore graduated Phi Theta Kappa in 1998 as a commissioned officer from Valley Forge Military College, and Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University in 2001, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations. He then became a Rhodes Scholar, studying International Relations at Oxford University.
After his studies, Moore, a paratrooper and Captain in the United States Army, served a combat tour of duty in Afghanistan with the 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division. Moore then served as a White House fellow to Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice.
He serves on the board of the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), The Johns Hopkins University, and founded an organization called STAND! that works with Baltimore youth involved in the criminal justice system.
Here’s the Interview:
NSLA asked Summer Changes Everything™ conference keynote speaker, Wes Moore about his summers, and why he feels summer is such a pivotal time for all youth. Check out his Q&A below:
Q: How did you spend your summers as a child?
A: When I was younger, my family never really did much over the the summer. We didn’t go on vacation or go to summer camps. We mostly just hung around the neighborhood. My mother was really creative and tried to use the resources of the neighborhood to keep us busy, but most my time was spent hanging with my friends in our neighborhood.
Q: Why do you feel summer learning is so important?
A: What happens over the summer or what doesn’t happen over the summer is putting us at a crucial disadvantage. Learning doesn’t stop over the summer. Students are still picking up information. The question becomes who are they picking up information from? Teachers and role models or friends on the street?
Q: How do we overcome the negative attitudes/perceptions about summer learning and what most think of as remedial summer school?
A: Learning should never have a negative stereotype and there is never a bad time to learn. In fact, some of our most privileged students spend their summers traveling and visiting other countries and sharing new experiences. This is certainly a type of learning, and it does not have a negative stereotype. We want to make sure that all students can realize learning over the summer doesn’t necessarily happen in a classroom, but academic experiences can be fun at any time.
Q: Tell us how summer learning providers are using your book, The Other Wes Moore in their programs?
We’re been fortunate enough to have our book used in a variety of learning environments. We’ve actually had many schools use it for summer reading to prepare for the upcoming year.
About the National Summer Learning Association:
The National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) is the only national nonprofit exclusively focused on closing the achievement gap by increasing access to high-quality summer learning opportunities. NSLA recognizes and disseminates what works, offers expertise and support for programs and communities, and advocates for summer learning as a solution for equity and excellence in education. NSLA’s work is driven by the belief that all children and youth deserve high-quality summer learning experiences that will help them succeed in college, career, and life. For more information, visit www.summerlearning.org.
Filed under: Education, Education Reform, Johns Hopkins, Nonproft, Summer Changes Everything National Conference, summer learning Tagged: Baltimore, Conference, Summer Learning
