After school program helps at-risk kids get ahead 21st Century
“For elementary, homework completion is key,” McIntyre says. “If they’re turning in homework and doing it correctly, then it follows they’re going to do well on their tests, and their grades will go up.” The Elementary School 21st Century Community Learning Centers exist in communities with poverty rates exceeding 95 percent. In addition to academic support, the 21st Century Community Learning Center provides youth leadership development programs, career/college readiness, and recreational activities, such as field trips, McIntyre says. The program also works to engage parents.
Four days each week, around 30 elementary school students gather after school to continue doing what they’ve done all day — learn. The Youngstown UMADAOP is one of many schools across the nation that operate 21st Century Community Learning Centers. After School Program Director Beth McIntyre oversees two elementary school sites under the 21st Century Learning Center program. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the 21st Century program is designed to create spaces for children to learn outside of school hours; the program specifically targets high-poverty and low-performing schools. Kids arrive after school and typically begin by enjoying a snack or meal, McIntyre notes. Then, the elementary school kids devote one hour to their homework.
Learning made fun The 21st Century Community Learning Center seeks to enroll kids who have grades below a “C,” who have had difficulty passing state testing, or have other at-risk factors, such as a short attention span, McIntyre says. The program works to make learning fun. McIntyre says the students are fortunate that the elementary school kids are permitted to use the laptop cart. Students also have access to the computer lab. The learning center attempts to incorporate technology when possible, McIntyre explains. “We try to avoid doing worksheets,” McIntyre says, instead, the center focuses on fun learning games. Students play games that also enforce learning to keep them interested, McIntyre says. The program monitors the grades of students in the program. The center monitors both language arts and math grades; all sites saw grade increases of at least 12 percentage points by the end of January this year.
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