60° Learning: K–6th Education for the Whole Child

At The Salvation Army Harrisburg, we are dedicated to nurturing the whole child — developing minds, strengthening bodies, and inspiring futures. Our 360° Learning approach provides academic enrichment, life skills development, physical wellness, and spiritual growth through year-round programming.

Summer Youth Enrichment Program

Our full-day summer program at The Salvation Army Harrisburg and STEAM Academy runs June through August, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, keeping children engaged, learning, and growing in a safe and fun environment.

Summer enrichment activities include:

• CATCH / Physical Fitness — Building strong bodies through structured, fun movement.
• Nutrition Education — Teaching children healthy habits that last a lifetime.
• BizTown Junior Achievement — Offering real-world business and financial education.
• Bridging the Gap — Developing leadership, life skills, and positive character traits.
• Coding — Introducing kids to the exciting world of technology and problem-solving.
• Social Emotional Learning — Building emotional intelligence and self-confidence.
• Gardening — Instilling care, patience, and environmental responsibility.
• Christian Education — Encouraging faith and values to shape hearts and minds.
• Career Exploration — Sparking curiosity about future opportunities.
• LIT Camp & Literacy — Preventing summer learning loss through engaging, fun reading activities.
• Science/STEM — Fostering curiosity through science, technology, engineering, and math.
• Arts & Crafts — Inspiring creativity and imagination.

Afterschool Program

Our afterschool programs at The Salvation Army Harrisburg, STEAM Academy, and Roller Enrichment Academy run September through June, Monday through Thursday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade, offering a safe, structured environment for students to thrive academically, socially, and creatively throughout the school year.

Afterschool activities include:

• Social Emotional Learning — Strengthening confidence, teamwork, and emotional well-being.
• Nutrition Education — Promoting smart choices for healthy lifestyles.
• Art — Providing creative outlets for self-expression and exploration.
• STEM — Encouraging hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math.
• Literacy — Our literacy-focused afterschool program is designed to empower students with the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. Through interactive reading activities, guided reading sessions, and phonics instruction, we help students improve their reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
  Our literacy specialists work with students to develop a love for reading, increase word recognition, and build foundational skills in early literacy.
  • Reading Specialist Support: Every afterschool program includes dedicated reading time led by certified literacy specialists who support children’s progress through personalized attention. These specialists use research-based strategies that meet children where they are and help them build essential skills.
  • Phonics & Fluency: Students engage in phonics exercises that improve word decoding, sound recognition, and fluency, ensuring they gain confidence in their reading.
  • Comprehension & Vocabulary: In addition to reading aloud and individual reading time, we focus on building vocabulary and improving comprehension by discussing stories, making predictions, and summarizing key ideas.
  • Literacy Enrichment: Our approach blends creative, hands-on activities that enhance literacy skills, from storytelling and book clubs to arts and crafts projects that connect literacy to real-world applications.

Family Literacy

We understand that parents are their children's first teachers, which is why The Salvation Army is committed to supporting families in creating positive, effective learning environments at home. Our Family Literacy program offers quarterly workshops designed to equip parents with tools, strategies, and confidence to support their child's literacy development.

Family Literacy workshops cover:

• Effective Reading Strategies — Practical methods for reading with children, improving comprehension, and fostering a love of books.
• Building a Literacy-Rich Home — Creating a learning environment at home that encourages exploration and reading through interactive activities, storytelling, and more.
• Supporting Homework and Reading Challenges — Helping parents navigate and support their children's homework routines, addressing any challenges they face in reading or writing.
• Engaging Parents in Early Education — Providing tips for parents to reinforce early literacy skills and engage their children in creative reading activities that enhance their school success.

Click here for a list of upcoming quarterly classes and to sign up: Quarterly ClassSign-Ups