At The Dandelion Project, we LOVE summer camp! Our camps this year were filled with outdoor exploration, community building, and joyful learning. As we reflect on these incredible experiences, we find it disheartening that Philadelphia is moving toward a year-round school model that seems to overlook the value of these opportunities for growth and exploration.
The new plan intends to increase the hours kids spend in seats for formal instruction, which will require more days spent indoors in institutional buildings, many of which still lack adequate air conditioning. (While the city struggles to meet this need, Eagles football player Jalen Hurts just donated $200,000 to provide air conditioners for 10 schools.)
A moment of free outdoor play
In theory, the possibility of year-round schooling could be a meaningful way to provide free childcare over the summer, but the current plan seems to undervalue opportunities for children to direct their own time, connect with nature, and engage in the kind of experiential learning that fosters deep, meaningful growth. The city-wide summer school vision includes mornings focused on academics followed by sports and enrichment activities in the afternoon. While the inclusion of enrichment opportunities is a step in the right direction, we believe the entire program could embrace a more liberatory, joy-centered approach.
Rather than doubling down on traditional, productivity-focused schooling, we urge the city to create free summer programs that prioritize experiential, child-led learning. Imagine a city-wide initiative where nature is a key teacher, where learning is driven by curiosity rather than curriculum, and where every child has the chance to discover their passions and connect with inspiring adult community members.
At The Dandelion Project Camp, we've witnessed the transformative power of experiential learning. From creating instruments out of recycled materials to building bug habitats, our campers engage in activities that inspire creativity, critical thinking, and a connection to their community. These are the kinds of experiences a flexible, child-centered summer program could provide across the city.
Creating In Community
Campers observe with wrapped attention during the Recycled Sounds workshop
In a Recycled Sounds workshop, Dendê Macêdo, an Afro-Brazilian professional percussionist, taught campers how to use a variety of recycled materials to build new instruments and explore the joys of creating original percussive sounds.
Elaine Smith Holton, founder of Phonk!Philly, helped our campers experience the power of music to support community connections. Kids made handmade instruments and worked together to compose their own song, then crafted a ‘music mural’ – a large visual representation of the song to teach other community members how to play.
Discovering New Passions
The Vets in Training program visited The Dandelion Project several times this summer,
allowing young people to build connections with animals and learn about veterinary medicine. Campers learned about the habitats and diets of lizards and turtles, and practiced techniques in bandaging and wound care for hurt mammals.
The Action Karate team, Mr. Fernandez & Mr. Ryan, also stopped by to lead awesome, action-packed karate workshops! Campers learned about the history of karate and tried out a variety of martial art skills
Campers practicing Action Karate skills (left) and camp facilitator Hannah Mack (right) meeting a furry friend during the Vets in Training visit
Experimenting to Understand the World
Moments captured during the egg drop challenge (left) and volcano experiment (right)
Our summer was filled with experiments, from building volcanoes to learn about the science of eruptions to testing our engineering skills by building contraptions to protect eggs from breaking in a fall. Kids compared the efficacy of different paper airplane designs and brainstormed many strategies to stay cool in the summer heat!
Plenty of Outdoor Play & Exploration
A moment of free outdoor play (left) and campers making their own paper (right)
All summer long, we played outside! Several of our weeks of camp were entirely outdoors at FDR Park. Kids practiced collaboration in outdoor sports, often with support from a camp facilitator, Matthew Subits , who helped young people decide on game rules that allowed campers of all ages and abilities to play together.
Campers also had plenty of opportunities to connect with nature, from building bug habitats to mapping the best shady spots for a break from the heat. We were especially grateful to learn more about the power of plants and repurposing from a community member, Ivonne Pinto Garcia, who walked campers through how to make their own paper from used copy paper and natural materials in the park.
And so much more…
These rich experiences don’t need to be limited to summer camp – at the Dandelion Project, creative, student-led learning is celebrated every day through a variety of youth programs. We know that more seat time and more instructional hours are not the answer to deeper learning. Instead, kids need more space for joy, connection to nature, and authentic exploration grounded in a supportive community.
We urge Mayor Parker and all those invested in the future of our children to reconsider the year-round school plan. Let’s work together to design a program that embraces the freedom, joy, and exploration that summer camp exemplifies, ensuring every child in Philadelphia has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in ways that A moment of free outdoor play
traditional schooling does not offer.
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