Adapted from the Diocese of West Texas
Good Samaritan Community Services (GSCS) is a recipient of the 2017 Excellence in Summer Learning Award from the National Summer Learning Association. Recognized from a pool of 103 applicants across the nation, the Camp Good Sam Summer Learning Program provides a six-week, curriculum-based program for at-risk youth to enhance their learning and reduce “summer slide.”
The six-week Camp Good Sam has evolved since 2011. It integrates popular young-adult fiction into a series of activities to enhance educational achievement, reduce risk factors, explore college and career options, promote leadership development, and engage families.
This summer, more than 900 children are participating in Camp Good Sam programs across five south Texas cities, including San Antonio, Brownsville, Sonora, McAllen, and Wimberley.
“On behalf of Good Samaritan Community Services and the board, we are honored to be recognized as an exceptional program in the communities that we serve,” said Will A. Hileman, chairman of GSCS. “Our mission is to change lives and it is our privilege to serve our communities’ emerging leaders.”
“We want to ensure that our students receive the resources, positive motivation, and support they need to continue to thrive over the summer,” said Jennifer Cook, director of program operations. “All of our programs for youth enhance student engagement in school and out of school, and we also promote student achievement in the upcoming school year by providing an active summer learning program.”
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
