Community Learning Centers: How After-School Programs Help Students Flourish!

Most students spend roughly anywhere from six to eight hours of the day in school five days a week. Some of them find they really enjoy their time at school, but many struggle at some point or another academically, socially, personally, or otherwise. One resource that may be really helpful to these students that is often overlooked is after-school programs! After-school programs offer kids and teens many benefits in terms of health, academic success, and personal growth. In school, students can be easily overlooked because of high student-teacher ratios and the time constraints of the day; as a result, students may begin falling behind, lose interest in the topics, or not really get a good grasp of the material being taught. What after-school programming provides is a much lower student-teacher ratio so that students can receive more personalized and undivided assistance from teachers and tutors. This means that each student can learn closer to the pace that is best for them and teachers can pick up on and utilize the students’ specific learning style, whether it’s auditory, kinesthetic, or verbal, etc. This can be especially helpful for non-native English speakers to practice the language and to process through things they may have missed in the fast-paced classroom.

Although academics are an obvious and important part of after-school programs, there are many other benefits as well. Many after school programs provide opportunities for students to make and/or consume nutritious snacks, and they also often include focused time spent on healthy physical activity. They also by the very nature of the program provide a safe place for students to be after school while their parent(s) may still be tied up at work; peace of mind about the safety of one’s children is priceless. 

At the Turner Foundation, one of our most valuable programs has been our after-school Community Learning Centers (CLCs)! We incorporate specifically a method known as Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) which focuses on teaching children and students how to understand, bring awareness to, and process their emotions while still moving towards their goals. We teach students how to value and invest in relationships with others by exemplifying it in our relationships with them. We also foster and promote a growth mindset, reminding students especially that intelligence isn’t inherent, it is learned, cultivated, and requires hard work and perseverance. Not only does this encourage students when they feel stuck or are experiencing difficulty understanding a topic, but it also instills in them a good, solid work ethic with which to approach the natural and normal challenges of life that remain after school.

The most exciting thing about our CLCs and after-school programs in general is that what is learned and practiced in this safe context can and will be applied to school and life afterward. In other words, the impact of the work done here is lasting and effective. We offer many different enrichment programs through our CLCs for students of all ages in grades K-12 with some specifically catered to teens and highschool students. Some of these programs include art classes, gardening lessons, sports camps, career nights, and community service! We strongly believe in students being able to engage with and serve their communities because every child has something to offer, an area they are gifted in. To learn more about our CLC enrichment programs and how to get involved, click the link here!