July 2025 Brainerd Institute Heritage
July 7, 2025
Subject: A Huge Brainerd Institute Heritage Thank You!
Dear Frank and Beacon Foundation Team,
On behalf of Brainerd Institute Heritage, its founder Dr. Vivian Ayers, and the Workshops in Open Fields Summer Preschool Literacy Program, I extend our deepest thanks for your generous support of our 2025 summer program.
Your thoughtful gift bags — filled with books, rubber balls, sunglasses, and sweet treats — brought tremendous joy to our student scholars and dedicated educators. These gifts were far more than a simple gesture; they sparked excitement for reading, encouraged active play, and created a wonderful sense of celebration for everyone involved.
This past June, we proudly relaunched the Workshops in Open Fields program for the first time since 2017, following a COVID-related pause. Rooted in the visionary educational philosophy of Dr. Vivian Ayers — poet, cultural activist, and native of Chester — WIOF nurtures young minds through nature-based, arts-centered literacy and enrichment.
Our program blends early literacy skill-building with exposure to community artisans, cultural experiences, and creative exploration. This year, we were honored to welcome certified teachers from South Carolina, Kenya, the Philippines, and Jamaica, alongside regional artists such as Professor and Storyteller Dr. Nancy Tolson and Photographer Christopher Sancho Smalls.
Thanks to the collaboration of partners including the Chester County School District, the Mayor of Chester, Beacon Foundation, Smalls Cultural Resources, and Chester County Food and Nutrition Services, we were able to provide this joyful learning opportunity completely free of charge, including breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Over the two-week program, preschool through school-aged children (ages 3–16) engaged in meaningful, transformative learning experiences.
Your commitment to uplifting our community, especially our youngest learners, is truly inspiring. Your generosity strengthens our shared mission to foster early literacy, cultural enrichment, and joyful educational opportunities for the children of Chester County.
Thank you once again for partnering with us to help children and families thrive. We look forward to collaborating in the future to hopefully make summer 2026 even more impactful for our community.
With profound gratitude,
Victoria A. Smalls
Program Director
Workshops in Open Fields
Brainerd Institute Heritage
