Bethesda Lutheran Services

Helping Young People Catch Up, Move Forward, and Graduate - A 10-Week Credit Recovery Program for Youth at Bethesda's Crawford County CampusFor most students, summer means a break from school. For the young people living at Bethesda's Crawford County campus, summer is an opportunity to catch up, move forward, and reclaim educational opportunities they may have lost.Many of the youth Bethesda serves arrive with significant gaps in their education. Frequent school changes, periods of nonattendance, instability, and time spent moving through different systems can leave students without the foundational skills they need to succeed. By the time they reach middle and high school, some are carrying academic deficits that cannot be addressed during a traditional school year alone.Summer learning gives them another opportunity. A Summer Designed to Move Students ForwardBethesda's Summer Learning Program provides approximately 45–50 students in grades 6–12with nearly ten weeks of structured academic instruction and enrichment.From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, students remain engaged in learning throughout the summer while receiving the individualized support they need to make meaningful academic progress.For students in grades 9–12, the program is particularly focused on credit recovery. Students can earn up to 2.5 credits during the summer in subjects including:●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Math●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Science●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; English●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; History●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Physical EducationFor a young person who has fallen behind, 2.5 credits can represent far more than a number on a transcript. It can mean advancing to the next grade. It can mean making up coursework lost because of previous attendance challenges. It can mean rebuilding foundational skills. And, ultimately, it can mean getting one step closer to a high school diploma.The Results Are Already Clear - Bethesda's Summer Learning Program has demonstrated its ability to help students make measurable academic progress:●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 2022–2023 100% of the 36 students earned either 2.5 credits toward graduation or made academic progress (22 students in grades 9-12 and 14 students in grades 6-8)●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 2023–2024 100% of the 31 students that participated for the entire program earned either 2.5 credits toward graduation or made academic progress (18 students in grades 9-12 and 13 students in grades 6-8). Two students were discharged before they were able to complete the program.●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 2024–2025 100% of the 40 students earned either 2.5 credits toward graduation or made academic progress (21 students in grades 9-12 and 19 students in grades 6-8)●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Across three summers, 61 students in grades 9-12 earned OVER 152 credits towards graduation and 46 students in grades 6-8 made academic progress through Bethesda’s summer programming●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 2025-2026 100% of the 34 students earned either credits toward graduation or made academic progress. 21 students in grades 9-12 (17 students earned 2.5 credits, 1 student earned 2.0 credits, and 3 students earned 1.5 credits). 13 students in grades 6-8 made academic progressThese aren't simply credits. They are steps toward graduation. The impact of the Summer Learning Program extends beyond credit recovery. During the 2025–26 summer program, students' reading skills were assessed as part of Bethesda's ongoing 90-day academic assessment process. Of the 20 students assessed 17 students (85%) either maintained or improved their grade-equivalent reading level. For students who may have entered Bethesda significantly behind academically, maintaining or improving reading skills during the summer represents meaningful progress.Over the past three years, four young women have graduated from high school after taking advantage of Bethesda's credit-recovery program. Every young woman who has earned credits through the program has made progress toward graduation—whether by advancing to the next grade level or by gaining the opportunity to remediate academic skills that were lost or never fully developed because of previous attendance and educational disruptions. For these young women, summer learning wasn't simply about keeping busy. It helped keep graduation within reach. And a diploma can be a critical step toward employment, independence, and a future that looks very different from the circumstances that brought a young person to Bethesda.&nbsp;Learning Doesn't Stop at the Classroom Door - Academic instruction is only part of the summer experience. Students also have opportunities to participate in activities that encourage confidence, physical wellness, hands-on learning, and healthy recreation.Depending on interest and availability, students may:●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Swim●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn to work on and ride dirt bikes●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Participate in recreational activities●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Build practical skills and confidence through supervised experiencesThese experiences provide something that a transcript cannot measure: the opportunity for young people to discover what they are capable of doing.&nbsp;The Need: $50,000Bethesda's Summer Learning Program has historically been supported through dedicated funding that covered the personnel necessary to operate the program. That funding has been reduced, leaving Bethesda with an estimated $50,000 personnel funding shortfall for the summer program. The need is primarily associated with the teachers and Behavior Support Staff (BSS) required to provide academic instruction, structure, supervision, and individualized support. For perspective, the 2025 Summer Learning Program incurred $55,894.94 in personnel costs, supporting two full-time teachers and nine Behavior Support Staff. The program operated for approximately nine weeks, from June 16 through August 15.The current program includes two full-time teachers, one part-time teacher, a substitute teacher available as needed, and seven Behavior Support Staff, with nine BSS positions representing the fully staffed model.The $50,000 fundraising goal represents an opportunity to replace funding that has been reduced and help ensure Bethesda can continue providing the level of instructional and behavioral support these students need.This isn't a request to create a new program. It is an investment in keeping a proven program strong.&nbsp;Bethesda's Summer Learning Program has historically benefited from county funding that helped cover the personnel costs associated with providing summer instruction and support to residential youth. A reduction in that funding has created the current estimated $50,000 personnel funding shortfall. Bethesda is committed to maintaining this important educational opportunity while working toward a sustainable, diversified funding model for future summers. Philanthropic support during this transition will allow Bethesda to continue providing the program at the level students need while the organization works to replace the lost county funding.Bethesda is actively pursuing multiple avenues to strengthen the program's long-term funding, including:●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identifying additional local, regional, and private foundation funding opportunities●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cultivating individual and major donors specifically around educational programming●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seeking corporate and community sponsorships●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Exploring additional public and government funding opportunities●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Incorporating summer learning into Bethesda's broader annual fundraising strategy&nbsp;The goal is not to rely indefinitely on grant funding to sustain the program. Rather, grant support will serve as bridge funding during this transition, helping Bethesda preserve a proven educational program while building a more diversified and sustainable funding model. This approach allows Bethesda to continue serving students who depend on the program today while responsibly addressing the program's long-term financial sustainability.&nbsp;The Summer Learning Program has demonstrated a consistent record of helping students make academic progress. Over the past three summers, 100% of students who completed the program either earned credits toward graduation or made academic progress.The current funding challenge does not reflect a lack of program effectiveness. It reflects the loss of a funding source that previously supported a successful program. A grant or philanthropic investment now can help bridge that transition—allowing Bethesda to maintain an important opportunity for students while continuing to build the resources necessary to sustain it in the years ahead.&nbsp;What Your Support Makes Possible - A fully supported Summer Learning Program provides approximately:●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 45–50 Students Served●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 9–9½ Weeks of Programming●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 30 Hours of Programming Each Week●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Up to 2.5 Credits Available to High-School Students●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 5 Core Academic Subjects●&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And countless opportunities to learn, grow, build confidence, and move closer to graduation&nbsp;Your Investment Can Change a Summer—and a Future for the young people Bethesda serves, the road to graduation isn't always straightforward. Some have missed school. Some have changed schools repeatedly. Some have fallen behind because they never had the opportunity to develop the academic foundations other students take for granted. But being behind doesn't have to mean staying behind. Summer can be the season when a student catches up. It can be the summer when she earns the credits she needs. The summer when reading finally begins to click. The summer that puts graduation within reach. You can help make that summer possible. Bethesda is seeking $50,000 in philanthropic support to help fund the personnel needed for the 2027 Summer Learning Program and provide approximately 45–50 young people with another opportunity to learn, grow, and move toward a promising future. Your investment can help ensure that healing and learning continue all summer long.&nbsp;Help Us Raise $50,000Invest in Summer Learning. Invest in Graduation.Invest in Promising Futures.

PROMISING FUTURES SUMMER LEARNING (CREDIT RECOVERY) FUND

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