Weekly Media Roundup: November 13, 2019

Local High School Senior Gives Free Ballet Lessons to Young Students, WTKR-TV (Virginia)

About three years ago, teenager Juliet Lancey approached the director of the Norfolk Academy afterschool program in Norfolk, Virginia with a lesson plan she had created to teach ballet to the program’s girls. Since then, she has visited the program each Monday to help students develop their creativity, increase their flexibility and strength, and have fun exploring the world of dance. WTKR-TV recently surprised Lancey with a $300 gift card to buy ballet shoes and leotards for the students. “It just kind of occurred to me that it might not be a possibility for all girls to have access to an arts education,” Lancey told WTKR-TV. “It's really exciting to see [the students] grow and develop as artists and have a space to do that in.”

Small Town Elementary Encourages Kids to Think Big With STEM Program, KFOR-TV (Oklahoma)

In the Minds in Motion afterschool program in Minco, Oklahoma, elementary students benefit from hands-on activities designed to develop their understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). For example, in one of the program’s activities, girls team up with their mothers to complete coding and robotics projects. Program staff hope this environment will increase girls’ confidence and interest in developing STEM skills. “The kids are very engaged, and to be honest with you, I teach all day with science, I do the lectures, which is great, but this is the fun part,” Ken Bodley told KFOR-TV.

YWCA Minneapolis Afterschool Programs Give Today’s Youth a Brighter Future, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine (Minnesota)

Youth in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from a wide range of afterschool and summer programming offered by YWCA Minneapolis. There, students can learn about financial literacy, design and execute their own community impact projects, and complete hands-on activities in botany, writing, nutrition, STEM, fitness and more. In each of its programs, the organization aims to connect students with mentors as they explore their options for college and careers. Alumna Suney Yang, who now serves as a mentor in the program she once attended, told Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine that in her first YWCA summer program, “I remember having so much fun making friends and having lots of new experiences that shaped my life. What I learned stuck with me and helped me in my decision-making along the way.”

Circus Theme For After-School Carnival, The Sentinel (California)

Afterschool programs facilitated by the Fresno County Office of Education in California recently hosted a carnival, “Welcome to Selma Du Soleil,” which offered fun and educational circus activities for students and their families. Students handled live reptiles, performed choreographed dances, balanced on balance beams, and celebrated the role afterschool programs play in their lives. “[The program has] been a huge help for us because both myself and my girlfriend work pretty late. Paetyn’s not old enough to be on [her] own so the program has been a huge help and I appreciate it so much,” parent Rigo Delgado told the Sentinel.