ACHIEVE concludes annual summer program with talent show

ACHIEVE concluded their annual six-week Summer Program with a talent show at Chenango Forks High School, showcasing a variety of dancing, singing and other talents by the students attending this year’s program. 

Founded in 1952 by ten families looking for services for their disabled children, ACHIEVE’s Summer Program is their longest-running service, providing educational opportunities and social enrichment for local students between the ages of five and 21. Today, over 100 students attend Summer Program annually. 

Research indicates that, on average, a student will lose one month’s worth of learning over summer break, with children with developmental disabilities losing substantially more. ACHIEVE’s unique Summer Program has successfully proven to help maintain learning and skills by reinforcing academics, gross and fine motor skills, and social skills through daily activities like drama, music, cooking, physical activity, arts and crafts, and field trips. 

Another unique aspect of the ACHIEVE Summer Program is its Work Study Program, where students aged 14 to 21 get opportunities to work for one hour each day, learning valuable vocation skills, while also providing the opportunity to earn a paycheck. 

Special funding for ACHIEVE’s Summer Program is generously provided by The Arc New York, the City of Binghamton, the Town of Union, and the Town of Kirkwood. 

As a chapter of The Arc New York, it is the mission of ACHIEVE to advocate for an enhanced quality of life through skill advancement, inclusion, integration, and independence of persons with intellectual and other developmental disabilities through services provided in Broome, Chenango and Tioga Counties. To learn more about ACHIEVE and their programs, visit www.ACHIEVENY.org.