A few weeks ago, a BELL scholar gave the keynote luncheon address at the National Center for Summer Learning's annual conference in Chicago. Sixth-grader Bailee drew a standing ovation from the crowd of over 500 people as she spoke about the transformative effects of summer learning. Her words personify our mission and give voice to the enormous impact that BELL programs can have on under-performing students. I would like to share some excerpts from her speech with you:
Click here to watch a video of Bailee's speech. (Approx. running time: 7mins)
"During my fourth and fifth grade years, I was having a tough time in school. Math was always a challenge for me. The harder it got, the more lost I felt. My writing was very messy and my punctuation was even worse. I was embarrassed by my performance, so I stopped trying. After a while I was so far behind that I couldn't stay focused. I was so frustrated that I began to give up. And before I knew it, I didn't know what I was doing."
"My principal found the BELL Summer program and suggested it to my mom. My mom enrolled me and it really did change my life. Academically, BELL has helped me a lot. I understand math a lot more. I pay more attention to my punctuation and grammar. It has even challenged me to read harder and more meaningful books. Now I do better on tests and quizzes than I did before. But most importantly, because BELL motivated me, I try harder than I did before. Because of BELL, it is important to me that I do well in school."
"I am a BELL Scholar. Do you know what that means? It means I am educated, I am positive and I am confident. And as a BELL Scholar, my future has endless possibilities."
Bailee is just one example of the impact that BELL has had on children's lives. Thank you so much for your dedication to improving the lives of thousands of students like Bailee and for believing that it is possible to make a difference. Click here to learn more about supporting BELL's mission and programs.
Warmest regards,
Tiffany Cooper Gueye, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
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