Why Afterschool Programs Matter

When many people think about education, they immediately think about kids sitting in a classroom with a teacher, raising their hands to answer questions, and taking tests. But learning does not have to stop when the dismissal bell rings...nor should it. This is especially true for our inner-city youth.

I am sure we all remember getting home from school, happy to be free from the confines of the classroom, only to find mom or dad directing you to your bedroom to finish your homework. No playing and no watching television until all of the homework is completed and checked. As a child, this was probably frustrating. However, now as an adult, we can all thank our parents for placing such a high value on education.

Now imagine a different reality. You come home from school to find your mother either not home or busy watching television. Perhaps she came in late last night from partying with her friends. She doesn't make you do your homework. She probably doesn't even ask if you have any. You are free to hang out with your friends and play video games. You are likely not going to do the homework on your own because you struggle with reading and don't quite understand what the teacher wants from you. You are already performing below grade level, and will likely just drop out once you reach high school because it is more lucrative to make money on the streets. There you can see an immediate return on your investment. If you make it to your 18th birthday without being arrested, it will be a miracle. Friends will die from violence around you, and every day you will be exposed to substance abuse, as you have been since before you could comprehend your surroundings.

This bleak scenario does not have to be the reality of all of our inner-city children. Studies have shown that structured afterschool programs with caring adults can dramatically alter a child's future. Boys & Girls Clubs around America are truly a beacon of light and opportunity for poor children in rural and urban communities. They partner with a variety of organizations to offer the highest quality programs that research has shown to be effective at increasing achievement levels and building confidence.

One such collaboration with the Department of Education has resulted in 21st Century Community Learning Centers in many Clubs nationwide, including our school sites at Charles Eliot and Walton. Part of the "No Child Left Behind" act, the 21st Century program is the only federal funding source dedicated to afterschool programming, and is specifically geared towards students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools. Designed to complement the academic programs in schools, 21st Century provides services such as drug and violence prevention, counseling, art and music, and programs in technology, recreation, education, and character development. Performance studies have shown that youth who go to a 21st Century Center on a regular basis improve their reading and math scores by an average of 43% and 49%, respectively. This gives kids who need it most the extra instruction, one-on-one attention, and guidance to become successful students, and ultimately, productive citizens.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland is proud to provide opportunities to extend the learning day through our 21st Century sites, as well as our traditional Club locations. Through programs like Power Hour, Project LEARN, and our arts and recreational programming, we are showing kids that learning and fun go hand in hand. Won't you join us? Volunteer to change a child's life today and help ensure that our inner-city kids have every opportunity to succeed!

For more information about volunteering visit www.clevekids.org.
For more information about the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, visit http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/.

Fun Photo Friday: Fighting Hunger with a BackPack

Every Friday we like to share a photo of something fun, informative, or otherwise interesting about what is happening in our Clubs! 

This week the Broadway Club has launched Feeding America's "BackPack for Kids" program. With the majority of our kids living at or below the poverty line, hunger is a daily struggle. We are able to meet this need on weekdays by providing a hot meal at each of our Clubs. But what about the weekends?

Now, 100 of our neediest kids at the Broadway Club will get to take home a backpack with nutritious food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on both Saturday and Sunday. Thanks to a partnership with the Cleveland Foodbank, we can be sure that more of our kids are getting the food they need on the weekends so they can start the next week off right.

Boa Tarde: Brazilian Students Visit Broadway Boys & Girls Club

On Friday, the Broadway Boys & Girls Club hosted the Brazilian Youth Ambassadors who were visiting the city as part of a program from the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. The Brazilian students were in Cleveland for two weeks visiting attractions, learning about local government, and engaging with the community. To learn more about civic engagement and the role teens can play in giving back, eight ambassadors spent an afternoon with Club kids. The visit started with a tour and a Q&A session with Club Director, Jeff Haynes. Then the group gathered in the library to lead a Portuguese language lesson for several of our youth. The afternoon ended with the ambassadors meeting with teens from Broadway's Keystone Club to learn about how that group organizes their efforts and leads community service projects.

"Our kids had a great time meeting the Brazilian Youth Ambassadors," said Jeff Haynes. "This is the second time we have hosted an international group, and we know our members are getting a lot out of the opportunity. Many of our kids do not give much thought to what is beyond the boundaries of their neighborhoods, let alone in a different country. This is a great way for them to meet someone from a different culture and broaden their horizons a little more."


A special thanks to Gina Cirino of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs for organizing the event!