In this quasi-experimental design study, I investigated the impact of a current summer literacy approach on writing performance and writer self-perception of urban Housing Authority children. In addition, current campers and former CampUs Scholarship recipients provided feedback about personal experiences as well as shared the potential impact of the 6Rs approach on their writing development. CampUs provides a summer literacy program with an emphasis on writing to student residents of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Community Centers throughout New York City.

Two hundred fifty 4th through 6th grade students who attended the 2011 CampUs program were part of the immediate study. Writing performance was examined using a pretest and posttest writing sample prompt on the first and last days. In addition, self-perception toward writing was measured using three subscales on the Writer Self-Perception Scale (WSPS) (Bottomley, Henk, & Melnick, 1997/1998). Responses to 22 items from the original scale were measured on a General Statement, and three subscales: General Progress, Specific Progress, and Physiological States. Within this group, 39 participants completed the CampUs Experience Survey and nine participated in an interview describing additional comments and insights about their experience. Responses to the 12 item survey were measured using a Pearson Chi-square on the following three subscales: Experience, Writing, and Attitude.

Former participants from 1998 through 2010, who were scholarship recipients, were contacted through a postal survey to provide long term feedback about the program. Nine completed the CampUs Scholarship Experience Survey and six participated in an interview describing additional comments and insights about their CampUs experiences. Responses to the 16 item survey were measured using a Pearson Chi-square on the following four subscales: Experience, Writing, Attitude, and Scholarship Award.

This investigator revealed that participation in a summer literacy program, with an emphasis on writing, increases student performance and self-perception of writing. This researcher may be the first to indicate that low-income children positively change their perception of writing while engaging in writing. In addition, awarding students with a scholarship, who have shown proficient to excellent writing ability during a summer literacy program, impacts their pursuit for higher level learning opportunities.