Many family reunions incorporate activities that recognize, celebrate and encourage the educational achievements of their family school students. These activities include providing rewards for the school-year accomplishments, scholarships, Back2School supplies, book clubs, math clubs, spelling bees,  SAT Prep, etc. As our reunions get back to “normal”, and family’s ramp up the planning for their next face-to-face, consider preparing something extra to inspire and motivate school students for the upcoming school year. In addition to the suggestions above, these activities include:

• Planning an educational Move-Up event for students who have been promoted and graduated, to boast, brag and encourage students to do their best 
• Identifying family members who are available to tutor students, and matching them with the students who need tutoring
• Creating a list of high schools, colleges and programs family members have graduated 

             from to - 

             - encourage students and give them something

               to aspire to

             - share with the next generation of family 

               members so they know who went where, 

               and who can answer questions about 

               specific schools

Including an educational component to the family reunion that encourages students to be and do their best, and helps bridge the gap between younger and older family members, is not only practical but beneficial and meaningful to the family-at-large.

It’s Summer. Looking for something for school-aged family members to do to keep them busy, reading and learning? Studies show that students lose as much as 2-3 months of math and reading skills over the summer. Let’s fuel them with something so exciting and fun to do, that they don’t even know they’re learning. Suggested activities include:

• Research family history by talking with family elders and finding out more about where and how the family lived 50 years ago or so.

• Help with researching family ancestry and/or developing a family tree.

• Research the neighborhood, city and/or state they live in (or where the reunion family is from), and the people who’ve made an impact there. 

• Start a word challenge by identifying 5 new words a day starting with the letter A the first day, B the second day, and so on. 

• Go online and check out virtual summer camps, libraries, museums and digital field trips.

                    Nelson Mandela Day:  July 18

- “I never lose. I either win or learn.”

- “It always seems impossible until it's done.”

- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, 

   but the triumph over it.”

- “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how

   many times I fell down and got back up again.”

- “Everyone can rise above their circumstances and 

   achieve success if they are dedicated.”

- “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one's 

   time and energy to helping others without expecting

   anything in return.”

- “Action without vision is only passing time, vision without

   action is merely daydreaming, but vision with action can

   change the world.”

- “No one is born hating another person because of the 

   color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. 

   People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, 

   they can be taught to love.”

- “Lead from the back and let others believe they are 

   in front.”

- “It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are

   those who make peace and build”. 

“Ah, summer – that long anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It’s a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends.”   – Darrell Hammond

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”   – John Lubbock

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability”. 

          – Sam Keen

“It’s a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do”.   – Walter Winchell

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”   – James Dent