In "The Zone"
07.31.2009 -
After-School Program Making A Difference for Middle Schoolers Devyn Anderson had a simple message for his middle school peers at our June 2009 Education Reception. In the Zone after school program, “we got to hang out with friends and do fun things together. I had a good time because it was an opportunity for me to learn about myself and other students as well. I would recommend that other students join!”
As a participant in the spring pilot session of our Middle Schoolers Initiative (since named The Zone by the youth), Devyn knows what he’s talking about. Many students spend the afternoon watching TV – which is what 58% of The Zone participants said they would be doing if not in the program. But Devyn and about ninety other young people had a very different experience after school this spring: they got to go rock-climbing, take guitar lessons, and do service projects for animals, among other activities, with time and help for homework built in as well.
The Advisory Council for the program received evidence of a strong start in the Center for Education and Evaluation Policy’s (CEEP) initial evaluation findings. Teachers, students and parents reported a positive impact on multiple measures of academic progress. CEEP data showed results in terms of the personal development of youth:
- 77% of parents and students agreed the program helped students improve communication skills (such as group discussions, individual conversations and non-verbal cues).
- At least 60% of youth agreed that the program helped them improve their social skills (decision-making, goal-setting, resolving conflicts).
- 85% of participating middle schoolers reported that the program helped them develop a more positive attitude toward themselves.
Results like these are just what Community Foundation volunteers hoped for several years ago. We wondered what we could do as a community to better support young people at this age, so full of promise and sometimes angst; youth and those who work with them provided the input that ultimately led to the creation of The Zone. With $150,000 in grant support from the Community Foundation for a three-year pilot period, last fall MCCSC School Age Care embraced the challenge of making a difference for our young teens. Strong staffing, the participation of youth and community advisors, and support from school administrators are all helping make this dream a reality. Staff and advisors for The Zone have learned much from the first session, and are exploring changes to make the programs even more fun and effective when The Zone starts back up in September. “Parent and students have been very receptive and have shared their desires and needs,” says Alandra Harris-Hasan, Program Coordinator. “As a result, next fall the sessions will be shorter in length and students will have the ability to participate in several activities over the course of each session for one set price.” The Zone will also offer tutoring/homework help as an activity choice for those students that do not qualify for the remediation Academic support. A majority of the parents rated their child’s general experience in The Zone this spring as excellent. If you know a middle schooler attending any school in Monroe County (public, private, or home school), tell them to check it out! For information, please contact Alandra at 330-7702 or aharris@mccsc.edu. Funding for The Zone comes from the P. Stuart and Anna L. Holmquest Fund for Children, a field-of-interest endowment, and our general unrestricted endowment.
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