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Addressing the Risks and Rewards of 3-6 pm |
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The bell rings, signaling the start of afterschool for a half million children in the Central Valley. For too many this time is unsupervised, marked by the risks associated with boredom and unstructured time.
The risky behaviors: bullying, drugs, gangs, alcohol, sexual activity, pornography, crime, suicide, and other self-destructive activities.
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Moving Students to New Heights with Dance |
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When four-year-old Michaela DePrince was adopted from Sierra Leone by American parents, she was a malnourished orphan with an unsightly skin pigmentation condition. As Michaela became healthy, well-fed and loved, her new mother said dancing was the way her daughter expressed joy. And dance she did.
Now 17 years old and attending the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York, Michaela’s future is exploding onto film, television, magazines, and the dance stage.
The arts matter, in school and afterschool. The arts connect youth to school and community in an unexpected way. They bring out a passion in students that allows them to come alive, providing a unique form of expression. That is why dance is an important activity for afterschool programs.
“Time after time, we see students grab hold of dance with a passion,” said Dr. Kimberley Boyer of Central Valley Afterschool Foundation, who is a former dancer and teacher. “Dance classes offer students a sense of accomplishment and a connection to something greater than themselves.”
As high school afterschool teams prepare for the region’s annual ASSETS Best Dance Crew event, Central Valley Afterschool Foundation talked to dance instructors from three counties to explore the secrets to their success.
The SPOT, Central High School: Boots Folklorico
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Academics with a Creative Twist at Central Unified's Teague Elementary School |
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Miguel (not his real name) was withdrawn, had low self-esteem and was experiencing discipline issues at school. But an afterschool program leader discovered that Miguel had a love for art, particularly cartooning. So she called on one of the program’s “master artists” to share his own work with Miguel and encourage the student’s cartooning talent. Today, Miguel is engaged in school and motivated to try harder.
The Teague KIDS “TK Kids” afterschool program at Central Unified’s Teague Elementary School has all the makings of an exceptional program: school integration, academic alignment, creative offerings, student engagement, community partnerships, and parent participation.
“Every child learns differently,” said Renee Mora, Teague’s afterschool administrator, who noted how much individualized attention students receive after school. “First we meet as a group for ‘Rally Up’ for attendance and a snack. Then we move to ‘Pump Up’ for character education. ” After that, teachers, paraprofessionals and community volunteers assist students with homework, Mora said.
Homework Helpers from Central Community Church, led by retired Fresno police Chief Ed Winchester and Chuck Downing, as well as Costco employee tutors, provide added community support.
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