Sharpening skills, nurturing imagination
Students practice using phonemes to build words.. Photo submitted
Students practice using phonemes to build words. Photo submitted
Most Holy Rosary School receives grant to keep students learning during summer months
Most Holy Rosary School (MHR) in Syracuse recently completed a four-week literacy program that served more than 20 students and impacted approximately 150 individuals, including parents, guardians, and family members of participating students.
The Central New York Community Foundation awarded the Wit & Wisdom Summer Enrichment Program $7,500 through a grant that was made possible by the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County.
MHR’s enrollment grew significantly when the Cathedral Academy at Our Lady of Pompei (CAP) permanently closed at the end of the 2024 academic year. The grant proposal underscored that a critical component of the school’s population comprises students who are recent arrivals to the United States or who come from households where English is not the primary language.
The Wit & Wisdom program provided targeted literacy intervention, dedicated English language development instruction, academic support, and continuity of learning for students from underserved communities in Syracuse where child poverty rates remain among the highest in New York state. Many students lack access to books, literacy-rich environments, and structured academic support during the summer. The grant proposal explained that without intervention, students are at heightened risk of summer reading loss, which compounds existing achievement gaps.
Principal Sherri Stone said that securing this grant is a game-changer for the MHR community. To directly combat summer learning loss and bridge critical skill gaps, the school launched the targeted four-week summer literacy program that ran weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Because our student body represents a vibrant mix of cultures and languages, this grant ensures that every child — regardless of background or primary language — gets the individualized attention they deserve,” Stone said. “By strengthening foundational literacy components during the summer, we aren’t just raising reading scores and keeping skills sharp; we are opening doors for our students and equipping entire families with the tools to build a lifelong love of learning.”
Rich Gasiorowski is the director of the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County, an organization that brings together local businesses, educators, advocates, and community partners to support a network advocating literacy. Each spring, the Coalition, in partnership with the Central New York Community Foundation, awards $100,000 in Literacy Champion Grants to support literacy projects in Onondaga County. In 2010, the Coalition launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and today, Onondaga County is the largest Imagination Library affiliate in New York state, providing a free, age-appropriate book each month to more than 16,000 children from birth to age 5.
“This year, our community is celebrating the remarkable milestone of two million books gifted to children in Onondaga County through the program,” Gasiorowski said. “Summer reading is essential because learning does not stop when the school year ends. Without regular opportunities to read, write, and engage with language, children can lose valuable academic momentum over the summer.
“Programs like Wit & Wisdom help prevent summer learning loss by giving students consistent, supportive opportunities to strengthen their skills, build confidence, and return to school ready to succeed,” Gasiorowski added. “We are pleased that one of this year’s Literacy Champion Grant recipients was the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse for the Wit & Wisdom Summer Enrichment Literacy Program that took place at Most Holy Rosary School.”
