After-School Programs:
Keeping Children Safe and Smart
What is the Purpose of the 21CCLC Program?
The purpose of the program is to establish or expand community learning centers that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities along with activities designed to complement the students’ regular academic program. Community learning centers also offer families of these students literacy and related educational development.
Centers provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development, including tutoring and mentoring, homework help, academic enrichment (such as hands-on science or technology programs), community service opportunities, as well as music, arts, sports and cultural activities. At the same time, centers help working parents by providing a safe environment for students during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session.
Helping Children to Succeed
First and foremost, after-school programs keep children of all ages safe and out of trouble. The after-school hours are the time when juvenile crime hits its peak, but through attentive adult supervision, quality after-school programs can protect our children. In communities with comprehensive programs, children are less likely to commit crimes or to be victimized, and are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as drug, alcohol and tobacco use.
After-school programs also contribute to improving the academic performance of participating children; for many children, their reading and math scores have improved, in large part because after-school programs allow them to focus attention on areas in which they are having difficulties. Many programs connect learning to more relaxed and enriching activities, thereby improving academic performance.
After-school programs also contribute to raising children's self-confidence as well as academic performance. Both teachers and parents report that children who participate in after-school programs develop better social skills and learn to handle conflicts in more socially acceptable ways.
In addition, children and youth indicate that they have higher aspirations for their future, including greater intentions to complete high school and attend college.
Contact information for the Eisenhower After-School Program can be found here.