Summer Service: Building Reading Skills—and Relationships

For the past 13 years, Gonzaga’s Campus Kitchen has delivered meals to seniors who live in the Golden Rule apartments on New Jersey Avenue. But the school’s relationship with the building’s younger residents only began this past December when Zack Crilley ’18 organized a toy drive and one-day “Christmas Camp” on Eye Street.

This spring, Campus Kitchen was invited back to help with Camp Upward, a summer camp for kids ages 5-13 in the building that promotes physical health and well-being, while combatting summer reading loss.

For an hour a day for five weeks this summer, six current Gonzaga students and one recent alum volunteered to read with kids ranging in age from kindergarten to third grade. “The kids read us stories and then worked on their writing skills,” says Patty Tobin, moderator of Gonzaga’s Campus Kitchen. “For me, the best part was watching the campers interact with the Gonzaga students. I saw the campers’ reading skills improve, but also, just as importantly, their confidence.”

Henry Sullivan ’20, who oversaw the project, loved hanging out with the kids: “The relationship we developed with these kids was truly special for me,” he says. “I hope that Gonzaga and Golden Rule will continue this relationship for many years to come.”