National Adult Literacy Database

Series: The Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps

Authors: Frontier College

Collection: Research Materials

Since 2005, the Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps have been offered in remote First Nation communities in northern Ontario to help children retain and build their literacy skills over the long school vacation. This report outlines the highlights of the 2012 camps.

In previous years, Frontier College managed camp programming while the Office of the Lieutenant Governor managed fundraising. As of 2012, Frontier College has assumed responsibility for fundraising too. The organization is also working to build better coordination and support for some of the other programs delivered in the territory of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, an organization that represents 49 First Nation communities in northern Ontario.

In 2012, a total of 2,438 children in camps held in 28 remote communities. About 600 community members, elders, and parents visited the camps. Almost 1,700 books were distributed free of charge to children attending the camps.

In follow-up evaluations, 96 percent of educators reported positive impacts on learning among children who had attended the camps.

Frontier College is a national literacy organization that forms partnerships to provide learning opportunities for Canadians of all ages.

Added: 2013-03-08

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Series: The Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps

Authors: Frontier College

Collection: Research Materials

The Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps are offered annually in remote First Nation communities in northern Ontario. The camp program is implemented by Frontier College, a national literacy organization that works in partnership with others to provide learning opportunities for Canadians of all ages.

In 2009, a total of 2,228 children and youth attended the camps. That figure was slightly lower than the previous year because of the effect of the H1N1 influenza virus on two communities. Campers read and borrowed more than 11,000 books over the summer, an average of close to five books per camper and about two more books on average than the previous summer.

Educators and band council members in four communities reported that students who took part in the camps performed better in standardized tests; demonstrated better retention of reading skills; and exhibited positive learning habits and behaviours after the summer.

Parents and community members also became more involved in the camps in 2009. For instance, there were about 300 more visits to the camps by community leaders and parents than in the previous year.

Added: 2012-05-04

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Series: The Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps

Authors: Frontier College

Collection: Research Materials

Every year, the Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps are offered in remote First Nation communities in northern Ontario. The camp program is managed by Frontier College, a national literacy organization that forms partnerships to provide learning opportunities for Canadians of all ages.

In 2010, more than 2,200 children and youth attended the camps, reading more than 13,000 books over the summer. Two hundred and ten children completed a reading assessment at the beginning and end of camp, and 87 percent of them had improved their reading over the course of the summer.

A random sample of band council members, parents and educators reported that students who took part in the camps performed better in standardized tests; demonstrated better retention of reading skills; and exhibited positive learning habits and behaviours after the summer.

Added: 2012-04-24

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Series: The Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps

Authors: Frontier College

Collection: Research Materials

The Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Summer Reading Camps, managed by Frontier College, give young people in remote First Nations communities in northern Ontario a chance to enhance their literacy and numeracy skills in a fun setting.

This report describes the program activities for 2011, during what proved to be a very challenging summer. It was the worst forest fire season in northern Ontario in many years, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and shortening the season for the reading camps.

However, the authors note that despite the shortened season, campers read and borrowed more than 4,800 books during the summer and recorded strong levels of participation and engagement. Band council members, parents, and educators reported that students who participated in the camps were performing better in standardized tests; demonstrating better retention of reading skills; and exhibiting positive learning habits and behaviours.

The authors note that 1,410 children and youth attended the 2011 camps and, if the fires had not led to evacuations, the camps would have been on track to serve 2,800 children, a 27 percent increase over 2010.

Frontier College is a national literacy organization that works in partnership with others to provide learning opportunities for Canadians of all ages.

Added: 2012-07-18

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