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 UCC college student at Howard University.
Structure
The six-week program provides literacy building activities, empowerment, meals, snacks and activities, including field trips, at no charge to families. The CDF model also includes extensive testing and evaluation to measure academic progress.
Frequently Ask Questions
What grade levels are eligible?
Our Freedom School programs are open to scholars who have completed Kindergarten through 5th Grade.
Are there any fees?
No. 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 Freedom School fame.