New Ark Freedom School
The New Ark Freedom School (NAF) was launched in 2014 as a partnership between the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools, Rutgers Graduate School Newark, the Office of University-Community Partnerships, the Newark Fairmount Promise Neighborhood and Newark Public Schools. The New Ark Freedom School (NAF) is administered in collaboration by OUCP and the Rutgers Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies. Sited at Thirteenth Avenue/Dr. Martin Luther King School in Newark’s West Ward, the 4-week summer program provides a curriculum and activities designed to help curb summer learning loss and close achievement gaps and to build strong, literate, and empowered children prepared to make a difference in themselves, their families, communities, nation and world today. The program serves students entering grades 3-5 and provides CDF Freedom Schools five essential components: high-quality literacy enrichment; parent and family involvement; civic engagement and social action; intergenerational leadership development; nutrition; and physical and mental health. NAF’s expanded partnerships include the Joseph C. Cornwall Center at Rutgers University-Newark, Newark Public Schools Summer Plus, Jumpstart, Afterschool All-Stars and Whole Foods Market. NAF a part of OUCP’s Summer Academy, a variety of out-of-school time learning opportunities for Greater Newark youth.
Community Partners
- Afterschool All-Stars
- Express Newark
- Jumpstart
- NAF
- Newark Public Schools Summer Plus