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Ashton Earl, 5, eats a hot dog while participating in the after-school program at the Bragg Hill Family Life Center.
Tonita Jett hugs daughter Ashanti, 7, at the program held at the Bragg Hill Family Life Center. |
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
The tip of Sohail Navin's tongue stuck out of his mouth as the 9-year-old diligently worked on his multiplication problems.
Pencil in hand, Sohail completed his folder of assignments yesterday afternoon at the Bragg Hill Family Life Center.
As Sohail worked on his math, the mayor of Fredericksburg talked about how afternoon homework help could benefit the fourth-grader and other area children.
"We are giving them a good start. We are giving them a safe haven at a time when many children do not have a safe haven," Mayor Tom Tomzak said at an event held yesterday to celebrate after-school programs.
For most of the 40 children sitting at tables in the center's multipurpose room, a safe haven simply means a place to go after school besides an empty house.
For Sohail, safe haven is a little more complicated. His family fled Afghanistan six months ago. His uncle said that back home, adults didn't go anywhere without weapons. They worried about safety constantly.
Across the room, 8-year-old Toni Hall was more worried about the day's spelling homework. With a green colored pencil, she carefully wrote her spelling words, "Popcorn, mop, sock"
After each word, she scribbled a picture to match. At times, Toni, a second-grader at Hugh Mercer Elementary School, leaned over to ask volunteer Sue Parr for advice.
That kind of help is the best part about the homework program at Bragg Hill Family Life Center, Toni said.
At the next table, two boys played dominoes. And a preschooler put together a counting puzzle.
The children completed homework, played educational games and whispered to each other. They seemed oblivious to the adults talking about the importance of after-school programs.
Family center staff, volunteers, the mayor and city school officials all touted Bragg Hill's program, which offers homework assistance, snacks, sports and dinner.
The event was part of a national effort by the Afterschool Alliance to underscore the importance of such initiatives.
"We know that after-school programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families," said Jen Rinehart, vice president for research and policy with the alliance. "All kids should have access to a quality after-school program."
The Washington, DC-based national alliance just released a study that found that one in four American students have no adult supervision after school.
But 18 million parents said they'd enroll their children if a program existed that had openings. Parents remain the most enthusiastic cheerleaders of such efforts.
"It means their kids are somewhere safe after school. They're getting supervision, they're getting services," said Erin Harris, project manager of the Harvard Family Research Project.
That group researched the benefits of after-school programs and found that effective initiatives can improve participants grades, test scores, self esteem, behaviors and health.
The most common after-school program takes place in the schools. In Virginia, the average parent pays $159 weekly for such programs.
But three area after-school initiatives aim to make safe afternoons accessible for all children. The family life center and Olde Forge Junction each offer after-school programs at no charge to families. And the Fredericksburg Regional Boys & Girls Club charges a small annual membership fee.
More than 40 children get healthful snacks, homework help and reading time through Olde Forge Junction's Brain Builders program.
"It's really making a difference in the lives of these children," said executive director Linda Hill. "A lot of the things we're doing are the normal activities middle-class families take for granted. But most of these families couldn't possibly afford to pay anything for this."
Nearly 200 children come every day to the Boys & Girls Club in Fredericksburg. They have snacks, homework help, tennis lessons, music classes and other activities.
Bragg Hill Family Life Center began 11 years ago as an effort to make the low-income neighborhood a safer place.
The after-school initiative began almost immediately, said the center's founder, the Rev. Joseph Henderson.
"After-school programs are very necessary to the education of all children throughout the nation," Henderson said.
Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Email: aumble@freelancestar.com
8.4 M American children enrolled in after-school programs 15.1 M American children unsupervised after school 1.1 M elementary school students are unsupervised after school 36% ff American children are unsupervised at least one afternoon a week 18 M children would be in programs, if available $67 average weekly cost of after-school programs 6 in 10 after-school programs nationally have lost funding due to the recession $1.13 B federal money given to after-school programs 311,585 Virginia children unsupervised after school --America After 3 p.m., a study by the Afterschool Alliance |
Studies have shown that after-school programs can lead to better grades and test scores, higher self esteem, fewer risky behaviors and fewer absences. But some parents said cost and transportation prohibited them from enrolling their children. Three area after-school programs offer programs aimed at low-income, at-risk youths. But they need donations and volunteers: Olde Forge Junction: 540/368-0081 Bragg Hill Family Life Center: 540/371-3662 Fredericksburg Regional Boys & Girls Club: 540/368-9531 |
