A Satisfying Successful Summer
This column originally appeared in a number of APG of East Central Mn newspapers during late June and early July 2026, including the Dakota County Tribune, Elk River Star News, Faribault Daily News, Monticello Times, Press&News, Morrison County Record, Sun Current, SunPost, SunSailor, SunThisWeek County News Review, Union Times, APG of East Central Mn Newspapers state news
A satisfying successful summer
Four educators with more than 110 years of combined experience with young people helped with this week’s column.
One of my favorite suggestions came from Steve Massey, who’s retiring as Forest Lake Area Public Schools superintendent after 35+ years in education. He recommended that young people “find a community group or organization and offer to get involved.” Recognizing that many young people need to work during the summer, there can still be time to help others. As the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development explains, “There are countless ways to get involved.” Its website gives many examples. https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/office-public-service/get-involved/
Some wise families pick one or two ways to help – whether it’s a religious or community group or a political campaign. By helping others, we help ourselves.
A recommendation from Eric Olson was echoed by other superintendents. He’s retiring after more than 30 years in public education, most recently as Monticello superintendent. He urged that young people “Get Outside Every Day. Besides creating more opportunities for creativity, children need true unstructured outdoor time. I want kids to skateboard, jump rope, sing songs, make up songs, play street hockey, shoot hoops, ride bikes, dance, set up a family croquet tournament, and play sandlot baseball. I want kids to experience picking captains, choosing teams, and debating whether “Suzie” was safe or out at second base. I want kids to run through sprinklers and eat popsicles before they melt all over their hands.”
Shannon Peterson agreed. She’s retiring after founding and helping lead Lakes International Language Academy in Forest Lake for 25 years. “Go outside: be in nature. Maybe take a walk or ride a bike on one of our many state trails —or in a local park.”
Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota (statewide teachers’ union), and a math teacher on leave from the Richfield Public Schools, also suggested that young people spend time outside.
She also recommends that young people “Read, read, read! From street signs to a new book, read every day.” Massey agreed: “Find several good books and lose yourself in good literature. This will expand your vocabulary, ignite your love for reading and help you become a better reader and writer.”
Older siblings, parents, and/or grandparents can help younger children. And some families, including ours, picked a book to read together, for 10-15 minutes a day.
Byron also said, “Math is all around us, so look for patterns, count, and do some arithmetic, by hand, at least once a day.” That can be combined with another of Olson’s recommendations: “Explore Minnesota Together.” He described family adventures, both in and outside. And there’s plenty of math related to travel. There’s also the opportunity to read about places to explore in Minnesota.
I’d add one other suggestion, compatible with earlier recommendations. For people 13 and up, consider conversations and consider what lies ahead – after high school. Young people don’t need to make decisions yet. People often change their minds. But urge young people to spend a few hours or a day shadowing somebody who has a job they think they might enjoy – whether an auto mechanic, attorney, plumber, carpenter, architect, nurse, farmer or whatever. Young people can read about what those jobs/careers involve. They can also post some of what they learn on social media.
Note – I reached out to a few other of the many educators who are retiring this year. Some were not able to respond. But I join in thanking all who served students. If you have reactions to what’s here, or other suggestions, please consider writing to the paper you’re currently reading.
Whether you agree with his politics or not, I think that President Barack Obama summed things up well, for all of us in these challenging times: “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
Joe Nathan founded and formerly directed the Center for School Change. Reactions welcome, joe@centerforschoolchange.org