SIUE CDF Freedom School Program
About
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Institute for Community Justice and Racial Equity (ICJRE) strives to achieve equity, racial justice, and positive transformational change for southwestern Illinois’ historically marginalized communities. In partnership with the largest child advocacy organization in the United States, the Children’s Defense Fund, the ICJRE sponsors a CDF Freedom Schools® program. The CDF Freedom Schools® model provides meaningful engagement opportunities for our campus community by bringing together SIUE faculty, staff, and students with children, families, and community volunteers in order to impact educational equity.
Program Info
The six-week program provides literacy building activities, self and community empowerment experiences, meals, snacks and activities, including field trips, at no charge to families. The program also includes testing and evaluation to measure academic progress.
- The program dates are June 10- July 19, 2024, 8am-3pm.
- The program location is the SIUE Edwardsville Campus.
History
CDF Freedom Schools® are intergenerational, culturally competent summer programs, built on literacy, leadership and social advocacy. The curriculum is rooted in the Civil Rights Movement’s Freedom Summer, and was originally conceived and proposed by Charles Cobb, a college student at Howard University.
Our Staff
Tandra Taylor, Ph.D., Executive Director
Cindy Reed, Ph.D., Program Director
Enrollment
This program site will serve a total of 50 scholars recruited from Belleville, East St. Louis, Cahokia Heights, Madison, Brooklyn, Venice, Collinsville, Granite City and Alton. Enrollment is free and open to all families. If interested in enrolling your student(s) in the freedom school, please complete the interest form.
Volunteer
The CDF Freedom Schools model depends on community engagement and volunteers. We invite individuals from our campuses and the communities that we serve to volunteer as a Read Aloud Guest or an Afternoon Activities Facilitator. Read Aloud Guests typically arrive at 8am and leave by 9am. Participating scholars get an opportunity to get to know volunteer readers, who may read from their personal favorite, inspirational, age-appropriate book or use one from our program’s library.
Also, individuals and small groups are invited to join us to lead and/or assist with engaging activities during afternoons. Both types of volunteer opportunities will be at the Edwardsville campus.
If interested in volunteering, please complete the form below.
FAQ
What grade levels are eligible?
Our Freedom School program is open to students in grades 5 through 8.
Are there any fees?
The program, meals, and field trips are provided at no charge.
What is a typical day like at CDF Freedom Schools®?
Students will begin the day with breakfast and a motivational session complete with a guest reader. Engaging activities continue throughout the morning until lunch. The afternoon is filled with hands-on activities. At CDF Freedom Schools programs, participating scholars are engaged in activities that nurture their minds and promote their growing up with dignity, hope, and joy.
How is the literacy component unique?
Participating Scholars, parents, and staff are introduced to a remarkable collection of books that reflect their own images and reinforce the CDF Freedom Schools theme—I Can Make a Difference. This collection of books reflect a wide variety of cultures and experiences and is a part of the Integrated Reading Curriculum (IRC) in which books, activities, field trips, and games all relate to reinforce each other and align with common core standards.
Who provides the direct instruction?
Servant Leader Interns are typically college students and recent graduates trained by CDF. They use the IRC to:
- teach participating scholars critical thinking and conflict resolution skills;
- engage youth in age appropriate community service and social action projects; and
- develop a program finale showcase in which every scholar has a moment of FreedomSchool fame.
If you have questions about the CDF Freedom School at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, please contact: siuefreedomschool@siue.edu
