For six weeks beginning in late June, Read Lead’s CDF Freedom Schools provide free and innovative classroom programs that help children fall in love with reading. With small classrooms and a 10-to-1 student/teacher ratio, we aim to curb summer learning loss and close achievement gaps, ensuring a level playing field for all children. We actively involve parents, encouraging them to identify and connect meaningfully with what their children are learning. Our Read Lead CDFFreedom Schools are led by college students or recent college graduates who are from the communities they serve. These servant leaders seek to build strong, literate, and empowered children scholars; to increase their love of reading; and introduce activities, like computer science and S.T.E.M. programming, not provided by the traditional school system. Read Lead Scholars (students) read over 80 books that are developmentally appropriate, reflect children’s own images, relate their authentic history, culture, and heritage, introduce figures who make a difference in the lives of others, offer encouragement to become involved in community service, explore fundamental issues related to self-esteem, and expand their capacity to dream and to believe they can make their dreams reality.