Children in Iola have a chance to learn about gardening, healthy eating, caring for pets and the art of steampunk this fall with SAFE BASE. HUMBOLDT students have programs available, as well, to keep busy and improve learning.
The after-school program is in its 15th year, which is impressive considering it was started on a grant that would sustain it for only three years.
“It’s completely grant-funded,” said Angela Henry, SAFE BASE coordinator.
Currently 256 children, grades kindergarten through fifth, are enrolled in the program. By the end of the program last year, they had 373 students enrolled. Henry said typically more students sign up as the school year progresses. A good sign the program is doing well this year is that each day of the program, Monday through Friday, at least 200 children were signed up for activities. Henry said this is the first time in the program’s history that they have hit 200 children every day of the week.
“We’re pretty excited about that,” she said.
Budgeting is always a struggle for the program, because it relies on grants and is free to all children in the area — even homeschooled children. A few years ago, they had to cut the program from five days a week to four. This year, they have fewer “blue plate specials,” where children learn to prepare fruit and vegetables for meals, but more classes were added to balance it out.
“We’re still very health- and nutrition-oriented,” Henry said.
Some new classes offered this year include golf and genealogy. Every child is given a snack before class. For more information visit their Facebook page, which is updated daily.
Kansas Reading Roadmap initiative consists of after-school reading and physical activities for grades K-3. The program aims to help students raise their reading level. Sunny Shreeve, 21st Century grant program director, said they have had great success with it.
For children in fourth grade and above, there is a similar program called Community United Behind Students, or CUBS. The program provides study or reading time to help with homework, as well as the chance to try activities ranging from web design and robotics to a variety of sports.
CUBS is in its fourth year, but the Reading Roadmap just started this summer with 39 children participating. Already, Shreeve said, they saw improvement in reading and math skills in nearly all of the children in the new program.
“The idea of the program is not only to bring up the kids who are having problems, but to combat the ‘summer slide,’” she said.
Finally, they have a program to get parents involved, too. Families and Schools Together is a program that gives parents a chance to get to know one another. They meet once a week for eight weeks and have social events afterward. Shreeve said studies have revealed that when parents are friends with the parents of other area children, this provides a better support network that improves students’ scores.
Humboldt’s programs have been doing well this year. Like Henry, Shreeve has also noticed increased enrollment in after-school activities, which makes her “very excited.”
“These are good programs,” she said. “It involves a multi-layer system of support so we can find where each student needs help.”
For more information or to enroll in any of the programs, contact Shreeve or Mandy Smoot at 620-473-2461
After-school programs popular
