Winston-Salem Street School Kicks Off Summer Success Program

Fourteen students arrived for the first day of Winston-Salem Street School's Summer Success program this week, keeping a connection to learning in place while traditional schools across the area sit empty for summer break.

At its downtown campus at 630 West 6th Street, Suite 101, the small summer group carries larger stakes than its size might suggest. For students who have already struggled to stay connected to education, the summer months when protective routines disappear can prove especially dangerous.

Winston-Salem Street School is a private alternative high school serving students in grades 9–12 who face academic or behavioral obstacles in traditional schools, including those who are disenfranchised, expelled, or have dropped out of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools. The student population often includes youth from poor, single-parent households with histories of abuse, neglect, substance abuse, or legal involvement. David Morgan founded the school in 2004 to provide a road to hope for at-risk youth in the greater Winston-Salem area. Since its founding, the school has helped over 150 students earn a state-recognized high school diploma. In May 2024, it celebrated its largest graduating class ever with 29 students.

For vulnerable students, summer is not simply a break. School closure removes structure, supervision, and protective supports, with idle time becoming a primary predictor of risky behavior including substance use and violence. Research shows youth with strong school connections are up to 66% less likely to engage in health risk behaviors related to violence and substance use. Low-income students lose an average of 2–3 months of reading progress and up to 39% of their school-year reading gains each summer, while their higher-income peers often gain skills. This cumulative summer learning loss accounts for more than two-thirds of the 9th-grade achievement gap between low- and middle-income students.

The Summer Success program provides what research shows can make the difference. The school uses a holistic approach strengthening students academically, socially, physically, and spiritually with a 10:1 student-teacher ratio. Clubs include Art Club, Garden Club, Entrepreneurship Club, Girls' Club, Running Club, Barber Shop Talk Club, Culinary Club, Chess, and Horse Therapy. The school also provides dual-enrollment partnerships with Forsyth Tech and shadowing opportunities with local businesses for career and technical exposure. High-quality summer programs like these stem learning loss and close opportunity gaps by providing the enriching academic activities low-income students otherwise lack.

Winston-Salem Street School operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no state or federal funding, relying entirely on private donations to cover its $1.1 million annual budget. The projected 2026–2027 operating budget is funded by individuals and businesses ($420,000), special events ($250,000), foundations ($250,000), in-kind support ($127,000), churches ($40,000), and miscellaneous sources ($16,906). Students pay at least $25 per month in tuition, with foundations, businesses, churches, and individuals covering most costs.

For students who have already faced expulsion, dropout, abuse, or legal trouble, staying connected to school through summer can be the difference between moving forward and falling through the cracks.