Summer is the time for backyard cookouts. Domino games on folding tables in the driveway. Family picnics in the park. Evenings on the front porch as the sun goes down.

To many young people, summer is a break between school years.

For Ready to Rise grantee organizations, summer is not simply about keeping young people engaged – it’s about creating spaces where they feel supported, inspired, and empowered. Without access to safe spaces, mentors, and meaningful opportunities, the months between school years can increase the likelihood of disconnection and deepen involvement with systems that criminalize youth instead of supporting them.

Across the R2R network of grantee organizations, frontline innovators are designing alternatives to punitive systems by building relationships, fostering creativity, and helping young people develop the confidence and skills they need to thrive.

These programs are more than seasonal activities. They’re spark plugs.

The reality is clear: punitive approaches continue to push too many students – especially Black, Latino, and other marginalized youth – toward the school-to-prison pipeline rather than toward opportunity.

Throughout the summer, young people will connect with mentors, discover new interests, strengthen leadership skills, and build a sense of belonging that carries into the school year. At the same time, R2R grantees are continuously adapting their programs, expanding their capacity, and responding to the evolving needs of their communities.

Here are two examples of frontline innovation in action:

R2R grantee Just Us 4 Youth helps youth develop as people, scholars, and leaders through long-term mentoring and community-based support. Over the summer, they are holding Friday Night Lights gatherings in parks around Pomona, offering free food, games, raffles, prizes, along with valuable community and harm reduction resources to youth every two weeks.