The cornerstone of many successful projects is collaboration. When San Diego Foundation, San Diego Unified School District and hundreds of local nonprofits teamed up to launch Level Up SD, an expanded learning program, collaboration was key to ensuring students had meaningful experiences.
To share that experience with industry colleagues, SDF, San Diego Unified and nonprofit colleagues with BIPOC Support Foundation presented at this year’s Best Out-Of-School-Time (BOOST) Conference, held in May in Palm Springs. The presentation, dubbed “It Takes a Village: The Story of Level Up SD and Successful Partnerships for Summer Learning in San Diego County,” offered a dynamic overview of how community-based partnerships are transforming summer learning — and student lives.
Building a Collaborative Ecosystem
Presenters Michelle Jaramillo, Director, Education Initiatives, SDF; Tobie Pace, Senior Director of Extended Learning, San Diego Unified; and DeMilo Young, CEO/Executive Director, BIPOC Support Foundation, each shared their unique organizational missions and contributions to the collective effort.
SDF’s commitment to enabling community solutions, San Diego Unified’s vast reach serving nearly 95,000 students, and BIPOC Support Foundation’s culturally responsive support for underserved youth underscored the diverse yet aligned perspectives fueling the success of Level Up SD.
Understanding Level Up SD
Launched in 2021, Level Up SD was designed as a responsive, community-rooted initiative to address the COVID-era learning gaps and summer learning loss for SD Unified students.
Through strategic coordination between SDF, San Diego Unified and over 120 nonprofit organizations, Level Up SD has provided more than 69,000 summer enrichment seats to students over four years of programming, with a particular focus on priority populations including English learners, foster youth, students with disabilities, and those eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Programming has included a robust range of experiences — from academics and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to multicultural arts, outdoor education and career exposure — ensuring students not only stay engaged but also feel seen, supported and inspired.
Lessons from the Field
During the presentation, a rich panel discussion delved into the conditions necessary for meaningful collaboration, such as aligned values, open communication and a long-term commitment to trust-building.
Presenters spoke candidly about the challenges encountered — differences in organizational culture, resource constraints, and shifting policy environments — and how mutual respect and adaptive leadership helped them navigate those hurdles.
Trust emerged as a recurring theme. Whether cultivating relationships with community providers or managing expectations within bureaucratic systems, panelists emphasized that trust must be nurtured consistently and intentionally over time.
Presenters emphasized that efforts are not “a one-and-done,” but “showing up, again and again.”
The audience was also encouraged to reflect on their own cross-sector efforts using a guided activity titled the “Reflective Planning Guide,” designed to prompt deeper consideration of their collaboration practices, challenges, and aspirations.
Looking Ahead: Advice for the Field
The session concluded with practical insights for educators, administrators and community leaders looking to replicate or adapt a similar model. Key takeaways included:
- Prioritize equity: Keep underserved communities at the center of decision-making.
- Build with, not for: Invite community organizations to co-create, not just deliver.
- Document and share impact: Use data to tell the story and advocate for sustainability.
For all attendees, the presentation offered a vivid reminder that addressing educational inequities — especially during critical summer months — requires more than good intentions. It requires a village. And when that village includes school districts, funders, nonprofits, and community leaders working in sync, the results can be transformative.
As we look toward future summers, Level Up SD serves as a compelling model of what’s possible when collaboration becomes the strategy, not just the sentiment.
