Why a Quality After School Program is Better Than Waiting For Superman

Dec. 27, 2010 - PRLog -- New York, NY (December 29, 2010 – The after school sector is flooded with mediocre programs that do little to stimulate children academically, socially or emotionally. Most agencies or organizations are glorified baby sitting services and do not offer high quality and balanced programs.  

The problem with finding quality after school programs is that most parents have to settle for whatever program that is offered either at the school or a close location. Although many programs strive to offer a variety of services to children, some fall flat in fulfilling the promises of giving children quality after school care.

According to Dr. Georgia Hall and Ms. Diane Gruber, MA of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College in their brief about quality after school programs: “A high quality after school program can have strong positive effects on children’s academic, social, and emotional lives and this can be especially true for at-risk youth. Some research suggests that what students do during the out-of-school time hours has as much bearing on their success as what they do during the school day.”
"Quality after school programs are associated with better grades, fewer absences and improved attitudes towards school" says Marie Roker-Jones, Executive Director/Founder of An Apple a Day NYC. "Our goal with An Apple a Day NYC after school programs is to support children by ensuring a coordinated learning experience and strong partnership with the school."  

An Apple a Day NYC is looking to pilot two after school programs in 2011. The Smart with My Heart Green Walking Club for students, ages 6-15, who are at least 20% overweight and come from low-income families who have limited access to healthy food options and resources. The program will help children overcome financial barriers to physical activity by incorporating walking as part of their physical wellness as well as provide social and emotional support in dealing with the psychosocial factors of childhood obesity.
The Readers to Leaders Book Club is an all boys after school program for boys ages 9-14. It is a unique combination of service learning projects with language arts. The program will present strategies to support  young men in their academic and personal lives by linking literacy with social responsibility to meet the needs of the community on a local and global level.

An Apple a Day NYC is in need of funding to pilot their programs in schools in the Bronx.  They hope to help children to internalize wellness concepts by creating student-centered wellness programs in which children can in turn externalize these concepts into better grades, ability to deal with peer pressure, and develop a positive foundation towards learning.

Contact:
Marie Roker-Jones, Founder/Executive Director
An Apple a Day NYC
http://www.anappleadaynyc.org/

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An Apple a Day is a fiscally sponsored non profit by FJC. It is an educational strategy that provides a supportive environment for children in grades K-8 and their families to learn how to take care of their  minds, bodies and environment. Our goal is to increase the number of children living up to their potential by promoting social and emotional wellness.