Literacy Supports Cultural Connection and Fosters Hope in This Rural Community

In Robeson County, North Carolina, a rural summer literacy camp is drawing families into the church—and helping children catch up after the school year. At Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, drawings of cats with buttons and vowel worksheets line the halls as local teachers run five-week reading programming through the Summer Literacy Initiative (SLI). Created by The Duke Endowment in 2012, SLI partners provide evidence-informed camps for rising first to third graders taught by certified Science of Reading teachers. In 2026, SLI operates across 35 rural communities statewide; Pleasant Grove served 28 children. Sessions run weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with breakfast, lunch, STEM activities, and recess, funded partly by Healthy Blue.