Kids have fun with learning at Iowa’s first Freedom School

CEDAR RAPIDS — At Iowa’s first Freedom School summer program — designed to increase literacy, self-esteem, socio-emotional skills and a love of learning for children — middle school students are reading, studying history and practicing math and science while having a summer camp experience.

Lamarriyon Doolin, 11, a sixth-grader at Prairie Point Middle School, was disappointed when he was signed up for summer school. But three weeks in to the six-week program, he said he’s having a lot of fun.

In Freedom School, which is operating out of McKinley STEAM Academy, Lamarriyon gets to go on field trips to Camp Tanager to swim and do archery, play basketball, kickball, soccer and four square and gets some additional learning after a school year interrupted by the pandemic.

Tuesday morning, the students participated in a mindfulness exercise. They wrote words of affirmation on clothespins to remind either themselves or someone else of their worth. Lamarriyon said he wrote “be calm and cool” as a reminder to himself when he gets frustrated.

Freedom School is being offered by Tanager Place, which helps children and families in Eastern Iowa overcome challenges and find mental wellness. It offers treatment and outreach, prevention and gives children tools to be successful.

Freedom School, a program by The Children’s Defense Fund, is rooted in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer Project, which provided a reading and humanities curriculum of English, art, creative writing, math and science. It was relaunched in 1993 and has served more than 150,000 children since 1995. There are 182 program sites across the United States.

Freedom School is free to students. The cost is being funded by donations at about $285 per student, plus the cost of personnel and food.

Tanager Place worked with the Cedar Rapids Community School District to identify 30 students who would most benefit from the program, particularly students who are racial minorities or come from low-income households.

Jazman Guzman, 22, a student leader intern with Freedom School, is called “mom” by some of the students. Guzman said it helps her know she’s building good relationships and establishing trust with them.

“I want to make sure I give them the respect, kindness and generosity they need to succeed,” she said.

Guzman is studying general science and secondary education at Coe College. After graduating next year, she hopes to be a middle school science teacher.

The Freedom School curriculum includes books featuring kids of color and bilingual books in Spanish and English, Guzman said.

“Students see themselves in their learning and are able to relate to the curriculum,” Guzman said. “Some students really struggle when they don’t see themselves represented in books.”

Guzman said some of the books in the curriculum educate students on the Black Lives Matter movement and talk about the issue of police brutality.

“For some students it’s really important that we’re able to talk about that within the curriculum,” Guzman said.

Mary Jane De La Vega, 13, a student at Oak Ridge Middle School in Marion, said she, too, was not very excited to go to “summer school.” But in the first three weeks of the program, some of her favorite activities have been a water balloon fight and tie-dyeing shirts.

Amauri Sawson, 12, a seventh-grader at McKinley STEAM Academy, said she was in remote learning during the 2019-2020 academic year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Freedom School, she’s enjoying being with her peers again.

Jada Grubbs, 21, a student leader intern, said the kids arrive each day “super excited to be here.”

Grubbs is studying neuroscience, psychology and criminal justice at Coe College. She hopes to open a community center someday.

“I want to work with students to show them they can still accomplish anything they want to,” Grubbs said.

Families interested in Freedom School or other Tanager Place resources can reach Tanager Place at (319) 365-9164.

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