Weekly Media Roundup: May 24, 2024

Local After-School Center Working to Create a Cycle of Change Among in its Community, Fox 17 (Michigan)

At the New City Kids afterschool program in Grand Rapids, Michigan, high school students help plan the curriculum and lead activities for the younger students. “The work that we’re doing here is really empowering our teenagers and giving them the tools that they need to lead and succeed here in our community," New City Kids Executive Director Christy Knetsch told Fox 17. “The grownups aren’t in charge. The people who are in charge are the best assets our city has, which is our amazing teenagers.” In addition to valuable workforce and life skills, the program also provides college scholarships to its student teachers.

Ossining UFSD Unveils Free, Bilingual After-School Program, News 12 (New York)

After a successful launch of its bilingual afterschool program at Brookside Elementary School in Ossining, New York, the United Way of Westchester and Putnam plans to add an additional 200 spots to the program at Brookside and open another bilingual afterschool program in the Greenburgh School District next fall. The free afterschool program provides homework assistance, exercise and educational activities to low-income and immigrant students. “The curriculum in this program is going to help them close the learning gap for their children and because it's bilingual, it's setting them up for success in the future,” Tom Gabriel, the president of the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, told News 12. The program is funded through a $1.5 million federal grant.

Sarasota Summer Learning Programs Keep Students on Track, Observer (Florida)

Both the Summer Success Institute and the Sarasota County Schools’ Summer Learning Academies help combat summer learning loss in Sarasota, Florida with comprehensive, hands-on programming. The Summer Success Institute includes robotics, community service, music production, sewing, presentations from community partners including an aquarium and a beekeeper, and a weekly bounce house to keep kids active. “I don’t like the camp — I love the camp,” first grade student William Bousman told the Observer. The Summer Learning Academies offer career exploration in addition to academic support, including opportunities for students to explore what it’s like to be a veterinarian or a doctor.

More Than a Hangout: After School Program Fills a Niche for Middle Schoolers, The Mountaineer (North Carolina)

The afterschool program at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville, North Carolina partners with a wide variety of community organizations to offer enriching activities for students, including fly fishing with Haywood County Recreation and Parks, painting and sculpting with the Haywood County Arts Council and community cleanup projects with the Haywood Waterways Association. The church also recently partnered with HIGHTS to offer mental health and life skills programming. “We reformatted the program to broaden the definition of what a safe place is,” Director of Ministries Michael Blackburn told the Mountaineer. “It’s based on knowing kids are in need of more. There’s a mental health crisis, and Haywood County is not immune to that. We’ve seen the need for more positive interactions, more places to connect and for kids to feel part of something bigger than themselves.” About 150 middle schoolers attend.