>> STUDENTS IN NEW YORK CITY MAY BE ON SUMMER BREAK, BUT A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP KICKS OFF TODAY WITH MORE THAN 100,000 YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED. IT'S CALLED THE SUMMER RISING PROGRAM AND IS BACK IN FULL FORCE AFTER SOME CONCERNS THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BY SOME BUDGET CUTS. EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER RAEGAN MEDGIE HAS ALL THE DETAILS FROM OZONE PARK, QUEENS MORE THAN 100,000 STUDENTS ARE HEADING BACK TO CLASS TODAY HERE IN NEW YORK CITY, PART OF SUMMER RISING, THE CITY'S TAKE ON SUMMER SCHOOL, THE SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR, DAVID BANKS, CAME OUT TO PS 210 HERE IN OZONE PARK, QUEENS, TO KICK OFF THE SUMMER SEASON OF LEARNING THE PROGRAM IS HELD ACROSS THE FIVE BOROUGHS. >> THE DAYS CONSIST OF ACADEMICS IN THE MORNING, THEN ACTIVITIES IN THE AFTERNOON WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. HOWEVER, HEADING INTO THIS SUMMER, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT SUMMER RISING WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AS THE CITY DEBATED ITS BUDGET AND HAD MADE SOME CUTS, BLAMING IT ON THE ASYLUM SEEKER CRISIS AND THE PANDEMIC. THANKFULLY, THE MONEY WAS RESTORED, ALLOWING SUMMER RISING, WHICH COSTS $350 MILLION TO OPERATE. DO SO FULLY. THIS IS GREAT NEWS AS MORE AND MORE STUDENTS ARE APPLYING EVERY YEAR TO TAKE PART IN FACT, THIS SUMMER SESSION OUT OF 138,000 STUDENTS, 110,000 GOT IN THE CITY. >> IS YOUR CLASSROOM AND THE WHOLE WORLD LIVES HERE. AND THAT SOME OF THE BEST LEARNING HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THE FOUR WALLS OF YOUR SCHOOL. AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE PLENTY OF TRIPS. THEY'RE GOING TO DO A LOT OF HANDS ON EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. AND THAT IS HOW THE MINDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE GET DEVELOPED. THEY HAVE TO LEARN BY DOING AND BY BEING ENGAGED. >> I'M REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE A SIX STACKS TRIP, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN TO SIX FLAGS, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT TRIP. >> AND WHILE SUMMER RISING STARTS TODAY, THE STUDENTS DO HAVE OFF ON THURSDAY FOR JULY FOURTH