FRONTIER COLLEGE LAUNCHES ABORIGINAL SUMMER LITERACY CAMPS ACROSS CANADA

TORONTO, June 27, 2011 /CNW/ - As the school year draws to an end, Frontier College is getting ready for a busy summer; helping kids in Aboriginal communities across Canada improve their reading skills.  Staff in over 60 camps will work to keep kids motivated and improve their literacy skills by preventing reading loss that often occurs over the summer months.

Frontier College will train the staff; many of whom are hired from within the communities they will work in.  Campers are aged 5 - 15 and will be taught through books, crafts, songs, special guests, theatre, play and games. The camps are free, and campers will receive free books as well as daily snacks.

"We are proud of the growth and success of this program, which ensures that kids continue to learn throughout the summer.  We have great partnerships and generous funders, and we hope to increase the number of campers each summer," says Frontier College's President, Sherry Campbell.

In Manitoba, there are programs in Hollow Water First Nation, Grand Rapids and Waywayseecappo.  The funders for the camps are the Province of Manitoba - Departments of Education and Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, Frontier School Division, Waywayseecappo Education and Misipawistik Cree Nation as well as a personal donation from David Newman.   Lynn Johnston, creator of the For Better or For Worse comics, provided her artwork to www.manitobaparentzone.ca and asked for her fee to be donated to the Summer Literacy camps.  There are urban camps running in Winnipeg in partnership with the Winnipeg Public Library with funding provided by Urban Green Team.

In Saskatchewan, with support from Potash Corporation, Frontier College is partnering with the community of Mistawasis First Nation to offer summer literacy camps.  As well, Frontier College is also partnering with Northern Lights, Prairie Valley, Ile-A-La-Crosse, Creighton, Light of Christ and Living Sky School Divisions who received a generous donation from the Ministry of Education to provide a similar opportunity for kids to learn throughout the summer.

In Quebec, counsellors have been trained to integrate literacy activities into local existing summer camps both in isolated communities and in urban settings.  Frontier College staff will work in collaboration with four Aboriginal communities:  Kitcisakik, Lac Simon, Kanehsatake and Manawan and 2 urban Native Friendship Centres: Centre d'amitie autochtone de Lanaudiere et Centre d'amitie autochtone de Val d'Or.  The project is mainly funded by le Secretariat aux affaires autochtones and by Raise-a-Reader Montreal.

About Frontier College

Literacy is an essential skill in today's world.  At Frontier College, we believe it's a fundamental right.  Low literacy skills are directly linked to poverty, poor health and high unemployment.  Through a network of thousands of volunteers across Canada, Frontier College is helping children, youth and adults to realize their potential and seize the opportunities that come their way.  www.frontiercollege.ca

For further information:

Abby Robins, Director of Communications, Frontier College  
[e-mail] or 416-923-3591 ext. 378