Eleven years of Freedom School in Columbia
Francis Burns United Methodist Church hosted its 11th Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School this summer, enabling rising fourth through ninth graders to hone their reading comprehension skills, engage in dialogue about key social justice issues and ultimately become the kind of critical thinkers needed in the world.
Thirty Freedom School scholars, along with their servant leader interns and administrative staff, participated in this summer’s school.
Held for six weeks every weekday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., throughout June and July, most of the day was spent reading and discussing books and their themes in-depth.
Scholars also took field trips and hosted speakers to learn more about important topics such as voting, as well as participated in a service-learning project by donating items for the Ronald McDonald House.
Scholars made greeting cards for Ronald McDonald House guest families with words of encouragement, plus stuffed goody bags for the families staying in the house and the patients of Prisma Health Children’s Hospital.
Scholars were fed through the USDA Summer Feeding Program sponsored by Francis Burns UMC.
To learn more about Freedom School and the Children’s Defense Fund, visit https://www.childrensdefense.org/our-work/cdf-freedom-schools.
For more on Freedom School at Francis Burns, email [email protected].