ASAP held three camps this summer (one was totally new!):
Philly Girls Play Chess: 27 campers in grades 1-10 attended our free girls chess camp! Campers learned chess skills like checkmates, algebraic chess notation, tournament etiquette. Kids also received a lesson from Women’s Grandmaster Jen Shahade and got to play in an official US Chess Federation-rated tournament 🎩♟️ Fun fact: All chess instructors and counselors were ASAP Chess students or alums. Thank you to the S. Albert Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation for making this camp possible!
Summer Speech Academy: Over just one week, 29 kiddos learned how to research, write, and confidently deliver an original persuasive speech on the topic of their choice. On the last day, students competed in a speech tournament for their new friends, instructors, and guest judges. Thank you to Cooke & Bieler for ensuring camp is free for all students! Our winners were:
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Elementary School: Aiden L. gave his solutions for solving climate change 🌎
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Middle School: Thea K. advocated for stronger child labor laws 💪
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High School: Noah S. spoke on treating homeless people with dignity and humanity ❤️
ASAP Esperanza Summer Camp: For the first time, ASAP partnered with Esperanza Academy Charter School to provide a monthlong camp for their elementary students! Youth received reading and math instruction in the morning, and enrichment in drama, chess, Scrabble, and art in the afternoon 🎨 ♟️🔠 🎭 Students also took field trips to the Franklin Institute, the Please Touch Museum, and more! Shout out to the Mayor’s Office of Education for their support!
Thank you to all the partners, instructors, support staff, and volunteers who made camp this year possible!