The After School Program started in November 2004 with eighteen children from
grades 1 to 3. The program was created as an educational emphasis of Kids Alley.
Many of the children desperately need academic assistance outside of the classroom,
specifically in the areas of reading and math. We currently have forty students,
K through 6th grade, enrolled in the program.
Many of our students come from Spanish speaking homes where it is almost
impossible for their parents to help them complete their homework. For this
reason, we
make homework assistance the number one priority. Each day the children receive
30-45 minutes of homework time. Additionally, the children get to participate
in a variety of fun and creative learning activities. The leaders and volunteers
at the Learning Center have witnessed God’s work in helping the children
progress academically since the program began. For example, throughout the
school year quite a few of the children are on the honor roll for the first
time. Other students have adopted the healthy habit of reading and now enjoy
reading. During the previous school, 90% of the children attending the after-school
showed improvement in reading, math, and verbal skills. Parents are also willing
participants of the program by bringing in juice and snacks and helping to
clean the facilities.
We are thankful that God can use the After School program to empower the children
as well as bring encouragement to their parents and siblings. The Kids Alley
Learning Center cannot continue to share the love of God and make a difference
in the lives of its students without the help of volunteers and financial giving.
It costs One Accord $150 a month for one student to attend the program. This
provides 12 hours of homework assistance, and 3 hours each of tutoring, art,
Bible, and music lessons each month, not to mention the love, attention, and
affirmation each child receives every day he or she attends the program. Please
consider helping to sponsor one of our children. One of our goals for the Kids
Alley Learning Center is to have one-on-one homework and tutoring assistance
for each child. This can only be done with volunteer help. We want to thank
our current volunteers for their faithful commitment to the children.
Kids Alley Learning Center supervisor, Michelle Greene is a mother of 3 with
a heart of compassion for children. She is gifted and talented in working with
all children. She spent the past 19 years teaching Bible, Dance & Music
to youth between the ages of 2 years to 19 years old and has been a vital contribution
to the children’s ministry at her home church.
Michelle’s mission with the Learning Center is to provide strong
academic support for all the children who attend as well as helping each
child develop
a balanced spiritual, physical, emotional and social skills.
