$1.4 Million Investment Supports Summer Learning for Camden’s Youth
Critical federal funding enables Rutgers University–Camden and the City of Camden to offer dynamic enrichment programs at the city's Community Partnership Centers.
Gathered together in the main room of the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center on a humid summer Monday, 15 young Camden residents between the ages of 8 and 13 participating in the Rutgers Accelerate & Renew Academy (RARA) moved between three interactive educational stations designed to explore ecosystems and the region’s environmental health.
From experimenting with water run-off to gain a better understanding of how pollution can travel, to sorting images of Camden to determine if a specific location was healthy or unhealthy, students came to understand the importance of environmental conservation in urban areas with significant infrastructure.
This was just one afternoon in a summer packed with exciting, skill-building activities provided by RARA to the children of Camden, thanks in part to $1.4 million in federal funding secured by U.S. Representative Donald Norcross in 2023 for the Rutgers–Camden Community Partnership Centers.
The funding has enabled Rutgers–Camden to collaborate with the City of Camden, the Camden YMCA, AmeriCorps, and other partners to strengthen the role of neighborhood community centers through programs, resources, and support for Camden residents.
To date, this unique partnership has led to the implementation of six short-term special-interest programs at the community centers and ten special events held in collaboration with the City of Camden, which involved more than 165 Rutgers–Camden volunteers and a commitment of more than 340 hours of community engagement.
The summer RARA program is a research-informed enrichment initiative that offers academic support and mentorship to Camden’s youth. Activities are focused on strengthening English language arts skills, building math fluency, and fostering social-emotional learning to support students’ overall well-being.
"Research has shown that, on average, students lose about two months of math and reading skills over the summer, and a lack of access to quality summer enrichment programs can exacerbate that," said Amanda DeBellis, program coordinator for RARA. "Providing this kind of experience to the children of Camden will have a real and lasting impact on their overall success in life."
Rutgers–Camden Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis and Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen showed their support for the program by visiting the MLK Community Center on the day the participants were studying the local ecosystem.
Tillis and Carstarphen listened in as the students shared their observations and conclusions about the regional watershed and environmental justice, then traveled to the lower level of the center to take in a karate class designed to provide enrichment through physical movement.
“We’re so grateful to Congressman Norcross, Mayor Carstarphen, Chancellor Tillis, and our partners at the City of Camden, the Camden YMCA, AmeriCorps, and the other community partners for making this programming possible,” said Laura Eppinger, program coordinator for community partnerships in Rutgers–Camden’s Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement.
“The impact of RARA and the other programs offered at the Rutgers–Camden Community Partnership Centers should not be underestimated,” said Eppinger. “These programs create opportunities, strengthen resilience, foster hope, and build a future where everyone within the community is engaged and involved.”
