Beyond sport sampling camps, 2-4-1 offers school-based summer learning programs. This year, we partnered with the Capital Region Education Council (CREC)’s districtwide Summer Learning Adventure, hosted by three magnet schools for their elementary students and funded through the CT State Department of Education school choice grant. In July, nearly 650 students attended a four-week, full-day program, starting with academics led by CREC teachers and staff in the morning and then by 2-4-1 TOP Self Sports facilitated by sports and activity directors and team leaders in the afternoon.
Each week, grade-level groups learned new sports, including Rad Ball, Team Handball, Soccer, and Floor Hockey, to name a few. Beyond our traditional menu, we were excited to offer Dance, Double Dutch, and Martial Arts! While extreme heat interfered with a planned field trip to a Hartford Athletic soccer match, we successfully hosted Global Citizenship Day, featuring guest artists like World Percussionist Tony Vacca and Senegalese dancer and drummer Abdou Sarr. After participating in hands-on workshops, Mr. Vacca and Mr. Sarr led a jaw-dropping dynamic whole-school assembly showcasing students and staff performers.
In addition to the sports activities, students attended daily activities-based social-emotional learning sessions featuring 2-4-1 TOP Self, created by 2-4-1 co-founders Steve and Kerry Boyle. TOP, which stands for “Thinking On Purpose,” uses a sports-themed emoji graphic and teaches research-based mindfulness strategies. The TOP self curriculum helps build children’s self-awareness and self-regulation, which are essential for success on the playing field and in life. But there’s more to TOP Self than the curriculum- 2-4-1 trained all summer learning staff in three key instructional approaches, such as check-ins and shout-outs, to ensure students are safe, included, and engaged.
2-4-1 Executive Director, Steve Boyle shared, “It was such a pleasure to implement our TOP Self program on such a large scale. We are at a tipping point in our organizations reach, and this particular program proved that we have the ability to grow our mission with entire districts in mind”
Unlike our summer camps, which mainly draw young athletes interested in sampling new sports, students with a range of athletic backgrounds and interests attend summer learning programs. By adding TOP Self and staying true to our commitment to put play back into sports, students shared benefits like well-being, enjoyment of school, and glowing reviews about their month-long 2-4-1 TOP Self Sports experience. And much like our summer camps nationwide, their top highlights: fun and friendships.
About Julie Goldstein
As the Chief Program Officer at 2-4-1, Dr. Julie Goldstein is at the forefront of pioneering initiatives that fuse her profound experiences in educational settings with her passion for social-emotional learning (SEL), crafting unparalleled programs that resonate with children across the world. Findings from her recent Sacred Heart University doctoral study determined how 2-4-1’s high-quality SEL practices and TOP Self™ curriculum support student well-being and connection, contributing to positive school climate. Julie’s current role emphasizes the natural integration of physical literacy development with SEL, setting a precedent for how we empower the next generation to thrive both physically and emotionally. With an unwavering dedication to fostering the success and well-being of students, educators, and families alike, Julie leverages her tenure as a former principal of award-winning interdistrict magnet schools combined with her background in fitness to bring equity and excellence into the fabric of education. Her role as a board member of Magnet Schools of America and her involvement as a fellow with Teach for All and Leadership for Educational Equity underscore her commitment to equitable educational opportunities. A systemic scholar-practitioner specializing in Social-Emotional and Academic Leadership, Julie’s strategic approaches are not just theoretical but proven in practice, with a clear track record of effectiveness. Her strategy is to interlace the vision and mission at both the district and school levels with the principles of improvement science, creating a synergistic blueprint for success. Julie’s vision is to enact change on a global scale, ensuring that the innate potential of every child is nurtured through the delicate balance of physical prowess and emotional intelligence. She stands as a testament to the transformative power of dedicated educational leadership and the profound impact it can have on students and school communities