Mid-Summer Reset: What Smart Programs Are Doing Right Now

Calil Davis
Jun 20
2 min read

Updated: Jun 23

Here’s the mid-summer playbook: one shift, one tactic, one tool your team can use this week to reset energy — fast.

By this point in the summer, programs are starting to feel it. Some teams are already seeing lower energy, quieter sessions, and students showing up late — or not at all. Others are watching for it and making adjustments early.

Whether your students are dragging or still dialed in, these small pivots can keep your momentum alive through July.

🧠 One Framing Shift:

Stop Managing Participation — Start Managing Energy

Students aren’t just tired. They’re overstimulated, disconnected, or running on social fumes. Top teams are shifting their focus from Are students showing up? to How are they showing up?

One program restructured its check-ins using four color-coded zones:

🟢 “I’m good, ready to go”

🟡 “I’m here but tired”

🔴 “Struggling today”

🔵 “Don’t want to talk, but I’m here”

Just naming it changed the tone. Students could be honest without explaining themselves — and engagement increased. Energy rose because students felt understood, not managed.

Takeaway: Don’t chase compliance. Create the conditions for buy-in.

✨ One Tactic You Probably Haven’t Tried:

Reverse Recognition

We’ve seen hundreds of weekly award systems. One standout variation? Let students recognize staff.

Each Friday, one site placed blank slips on a table during lunch:

“Something my instructor did this week that helped me…”

They read a few aloud. It boosted morale and shifted the dynamic — students became more observant and staff felt genuinely seen.

Try this: No prep, no tech. Just a pen, a prompt, and a payoff.

🛠️ One Tool You Can Use This Week:

The Mid-Summer Reset Kit

Programs holding momentum aren’t improvising through fatigue. They’re building a plan to reset the rhythm without overhauling it.

We pulled together a few favorites to help your team do the same:

Browse the Energizers

A curated collection of energizers, group games, and debriefs — chosen for mid-program impact.

Inside you’ll find:

Low-lift engagement formats
Group-based energizers for all ages
Debrief strategies that build reflection
Simple materials. Big payoff.

🌟 Bonus: Try using one to launch a reset session led by students.

🎯 Final Word:

Don’t Just Power Through — Pivot Intentionally

The most successful programs this summer aren’t doing more. They’re doing fewer things, better — and building momentum on purpose.

Whether your students are thriving or dragging, this is the moment to pause and recalibrate. You don’t have to do it alone.