With roots dating back to 1999, Freedom School Partners (FSP) is dedicated to combating summer learning loss in Charlotte by offering a rich six week summer learning program to students in grades K-8 who need it most.
Our Mission
To inspire our scholars to love reading and learning, believe in themselves, and create extraordinary futures.
Freedom School Partners fulfills this mission by:
- Delivering a culturally diverse and responsive curriculum that affirms our scholars with engaging literature and exposure to the broader community.
- Serving families and children who lack access to high quality summer learning and enrichment opportunities and infusing every day with joy and Freedom School magic.
- Addressing the whole child by supporting their academic, social, emotional and basic needs.
- Offering a workforce development opportunity for college students that positions them to increase social capital and instills skills and competencies that will make them competitive in the professional marketplace.
- Collaborating with diverse community stakeholders who contribute to and benefit from the partnerships.
- Advocating relentlessly for our scholars by focusing on educational equity and on the root causes of academic achievement gaps.
Our Vision
A community fiercely committed to embracing, elevating, and educating all children as our own.
Our Values
- We lead with what’s best for our scholars.
- We love and respect our scholars for who they are now: worthy, unique, whole people who inspire us.
- We nurture each scholar’s educational, social, emotional and leadership development.
- We honor FSP’s rich history, mission and roots in the work of social justice and civil rights.
- We celebrate diversity and bring our creativity, flexibility and adaptability to every project.
- We actively practice empathy and seek to understand others’ perspectives, viewpoints and lived experiences.
Our Promise
History of FSP
Freedom School Partners is a 501(c)(3) that provides quality summer programming for students in grades K-8 at multiple locations across Charlotte.
From 1999 through 2003
Founded in 1999, Freedom School Partners (formerly Seigle Avenue Partners) received significant start-up funding from the Foundation For The Carolinas (FFTC) Building Youth Initiative and Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church from 2000 to 2003.
In 2004
In 2004, Freedom School Partners (FSP) was selected by the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) to join community organizations around the country and serve as a local sponsor for CDF’s six-week, literacy-rich summer programs called Freedom Schools. That year, in addition to maintaining its successful afterschool program in the Piedmont Courts neighborhood, FSP launched its first CDF Freedom Schools program for 100 scholars.
Get to know our Interim CEO
Meet Bill Geiger. Bill Geiger joined us at at the [...]
Building Brighter Futures, Glenda interviews with The Charlotte Ledger Podcast
Talking all things Freedom School, Glenda Bernhardt recently joined The [...]
Freedom School Partners Paid Summer Internships
Make a difference in children’s lives—and your career. Apply [...]
Get to know our Interim CEO
Meet Bill Geiger. Bill Geiger joined us at at the [...]
Building Brighter Futures, Glenda interviews with The Charlotte Ledger Podcast
Talking all things Freedom School, Glenda Bernhardt recently joined The [...]
