Left to right: Huntington CLC School Community Coordinator, Jeralyn Klingenberg, Riley CLC School Community Coordinator, Lacey Homolka, and Assistant Director of Youth Development, Sarah McMaster discuss Family Service Lincoln’s Community Health Ideas Challenge proposal on April 10, 2026, at the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln. (Brittany Wren, Stingray Writing)
The final school bell of the year usually rings with a sense of pure, unbridled freedom. For many children, it signals the start of long days spent at the pool, riding bikes through the neighborhood, or playing in the park. But for students performing one or two grade levels behind — those recommended for summer school — that bell can signal a different kind of family dance: a stressful scramble to meet academic needs, full-day childcare, and parents’ jobs.
"It’s a specific service gap that often goes unnoticed," explained Family Service Assistant Director of Youth Development Sarah McMaster. "Families shouldn't have to choose between the academic support their child needs in the morning and the physical activity they need in the afternoon. We realized there was a significant group of students who were essentially losing their summer to a desk because there was no active, safe place for them to go once the [summer] school day ended at noon."
That reality sparked an idea for Family Service Lincoln, now a finalist in the Health Ideas Challenge. Their idea? The “Healthy for Life After Summer School Program.”
A Wraparound for Wellness
The proposal is straightforward yet inventive: a four-week wraparound program specifically for students at Huntington and Riley Elementary schools who are attending summer school in June. While morning summer school focuses on catching up academically, the Healthy for Life afternoon program — running from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm — is all about moving.
The program, designed for 40 youth ages 5-12, would be held at the FiftyOne Commons STEAM Activity Center.
Pictured: A rendering of the FiftyOne Commons STEAM Activity Center. (Courtesy Photo)
Instead of returning to an empty house or stationary screen time, these students would be bused from school to engage in aerobic health strategies. The curriculum is packed with variety:
Weekly Swimming: Use the UNI swimming pool for robust aerobic fitness.
"Sports-Tasting:" Introduce lifelong sports like tennis, pickleball, and rock climbing.
Hands-on Nutrition: Prepare healthy snacks and meals with Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln's "We Cook" club.
Helping Families Thrive
For over a century, Family Service Lincoln has operated under a simple yet powerful mission: Helping Families Thrive. Beyond youth development, the organization provides a wide net of support, including WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), behavioral health therapy, and housing services to prevent crises.
Managing Community Learning Centers (CLCs) at nine elementary schools gives them a unique vantage point. Their staff aren't just supervisors; they are consistent, trusting adults who stay connected with the students all year long.
"Staff at Huntington and Riley know these families and these kids," said Sarah, a former coordinator. "We are in a position to step in and say, 'Let us take the lead in the afternoon so your child can just be a kid — moving, playing, and growing.'”
Pictured: Family Service Assistant Director of Youth Development, Sarah McMaster discusses Family Service Lincoln’s Community Health Ideas Challenge proposal on April 10, 2026, at the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln. (Brittany Wren, Stingray Writing)
While "Healthy for Life" focuses on youth fitness, it is backed by Family Service’s comprehensive support network. The organization serves as a holistic safety net for Lincoln, ensuring families have access to everything they need to remain healthy and stable:
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children): Providing essential nutrition education and food benefits to ensure the youngest members of our community get a healthy start.
Behavioral Health: Offering individual and family therapy and skill-building to support mental wellness and resilience.
Housing & Support Services: Working directly with families to coordinate resources and prevent housing crises, keeping children safe in their homes.
Community Crops: Increasing access to high-quality, affordable food through community gardens and urban farming.
Pictured: Community Crops farmers with their tomato harvest at Prairie Pines Nature Preserve. (Courtesy Photo)
Moving the Map Toward Equity
The urgency of the Healthy for Life initiative is reinforced by the latest Place Matters 6.0 data. Lincoln has a goal of 80% of children passing the Fitnessgram PACER (aerobic endurance) test, but in neighborhoods with higher poverty rates, that rate plummets. In the census tracts surrounding Huntington and Riley, only about 56% of students are meeting those aerobic standards.
Both Huntington and Riley are Title I schools where 100% of students receive free and reduced lunch. In these areas, the median income is roughly $49,000, and 20% of residents live below the poverty line. By removing barriers like cost and transportation, Family Service aims to "move the map" in Northeast Lincoln. This isn't just about fitness; it's about closing a geographic equity gap that impacts a child's long-term health and academic success.
Pictured: Children in the Family Service Lincoln Youth Development Program playing on the basketball court. (Courtesy Photo: Crystal Holloway)
The program would culminate in a Family Showcase, where students present what they've learned and help prepare a healthy meal for their parents. It’s a creative way to expand community trust and extend healthy habits into the home.
Creating Lasting Impact
Family Service Lincoln is one of several finalists for the Community Health Ideas Challenge. The "Healthy for Life" initiative aims to create a neutral, safe space where the next generation of Lincoln can grow, play, and connect.
As CHE President & CEO Kate Bolz puts it, the Community Health Ideas Challenge is about giving our partners "permission to dream and to think outside the box."
To learn more about their mission of helping families thrive, visit FamilyServiceLincoln.org. For more information on the Community Health Ideas Challenge, visit healthideaschallenge.org
