After School Adventure and Learning Clubs

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

I am the after school coordinator, and I want to give our students opportunities to want to come to school, to be proud of their school, and to be able to experience enrichment activities that they may not get to do, because of their families' economic position. .

M.E.

is a title one school, with 97% free and reduced lunch. We have over 80% students of color, and many of our students need extra time on task for reading and math. My after school program serves over 200 students, on any given day. Over 500 students of our 700 are involved in our programs in some way, during the school year. Each day after tutoring, we have enrichment classes or clubs. Examples are: quilting, robotics, engineering, science club, math and reading games, health and exercise, choir, drama, ambassadors, Hispanic Cultural arts, arts and crafts, Girl Scouts, sports, and more. These programs help our students and our community to see school as a learning center. Our regular school attendance last year had the largest increase in ANY school in our district of over 60 other elementary schools. I believe it was due to many things, but the after school program was a big factor. Parents love our programs because they know their children are in a safe environment.

My Project

In the quilting after school class, students need fat quarters and Fairfield poly batting to make a lap quilt. Each student will then make an 8 x 8 piece to make a large quilt from all of the students. This quilt will then be donated to the local hospital. The learning will be, that we can give a little and work together to make something to give to others. The Girl Scout after school club of 18 girls, are earning badges in art, cooking, service, and first aid. The Dockers shirts are for our uniforms. We will use the Elmer's glitter glue to make thank you cards for our school staff. Whenever, we cook something, we make some for us and some for the staff. The girls are learning food safety, kindness, and how to do things for others. A new club that is starting, is the Hispanic Cultural arts club. We will use the Jolly Ranchers, Tootsie rolls, and Sunchips for our Pinatas. We hope that parents will join in and share, and that the students may have an art show to display their work.

Our enrichment classes are the "extra" that our students need, to round out their education.

Many of our students are latch key kids, whose parents come home late. We provide a safe place to be after school. Our students are given a snack and milk to tie them over, until dinner. Our programs help our students find interests, that may stay with them throughout their schooling and life. Sometimes students need enrichment activities to have a reason to stay in school, such as sports, choir, or music.