Weekly Media Roundup: May 27, 2026

12.6M Kids Lack Access to Summer Programming, K-12 Dive

According to the latest America After 3PM data released by the Afterschool Alliance last week, more than half of children in the United States whose parents want summer programs for them don’t have access, most often due to cost. Program leaders and advocates warn that means millions of students are missing out on critical opportunities to learn new skills, discover their passions, and stay safe, engaged, and healthy while schools are out. “For many students in Tuscaloosa, summer is where they discover their interests, their talents, and possibilities they may not even know exist yet,” Lindsey Blevins, extended learning coach and 21st Century Program director at Alabama’s Tuscaloosa City Schools and an Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Ambassador, told K-12 Dive. “We found that when students feel like their interests and voices matter, engagement changes completely.” 

MSCS Kicks Off Free Summer Meal Program Across Shelby County, Fox 13 (Tennessee)

In Tennessee, Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) is offering more than 100 summer meal and learning sites to help families facing higher food costs while children are out of school. The program will provide free meals to anyone 18 years old and younger regardless of enrollment in summer learning programs, with no identification required. “Gas prices are super high. Food prices are extremely high… We understand that that’s a strain on our families, and we want to be able to support,” MSCS board member Sable Otey told Fox 13. “So, I'm very happy that Memphis-Shelby County Schools is lending a hand to help our students.”

Houston-Area Summer Camp Teaches Kids Entrepreneurship Through Cosmetology, KPRC (Texas)

At The Look Salon’s summer camp in Houston, Texas, students learn cosmetology, creativity and entrepreneurship through hands-on activities and business lessons. Campers build leadership skills by participating in public speaking and weekly “Shark Tank”-style pitch competitions where they develop and present their own business concepts. “I love when kids are creative and they do everything with confidence. So we make sure we empower them with that,” The Look Salon owner Tamika Sturgis told KPRC.

'Leading the Pack': Natchez-Adams Schools Celebrated by MDE for After School Program, The Democrat (Mississippi)

Officials from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) recently paid a surprise visit to the Natchez-Adams School District (NASD) 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, praising the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) afterschool programs the school district is offering. “The following day, I received another call from MDE asking about our data tracking. ... They wanted to pick our brains ... because of the 13 new sites we were leading the pack,” NASD Director of Federal Programs Aquetta D. Butler, Ph.D., told The Democrat. The district will offer summer enrichment programs this June alongside camp activities led by the local Boys & Girls Club.