KRISTIE MOSS / Scroll
Brendan Weeks, right, and Lane Luthy, left, make a fun creation during the K’NEX class in the after-school program at Archer Elementary School.

Adventures after school

Archer Elementary hosts program for ‘key kids’ to stick around

Ashley Walker WAL02016@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

“Control tower, this is Captain Bo requesting take-off.”

Each child stood in a line casting their arms high and releasing the paper airplanes over the balcony to the gym below.

Throughout Archer Elementary School, children were laughing, scientifically sipping soda, building LEGOS and testing their flight skills. What usually takes place in a classroom during school hours is now taking place after school.

Archer Elementary is one of many schools that now provides an after-school program for “key kids,” or children whose parents work, but other students are invited to participate as well.

“The main objective of after- school programs is to provide a safe place for the kids, support working parents and increase academic achievement,” said Janette Goodliffe, one of 10 ambassadors in the nation for the After School Alliance.

The Alliance actively supports and advocates after-school programs.

“When it first started, I was really excited actually … it’s an eye opening experience and helps you realize what you can actually do with it,” said Charlotte Larson, after-school program coordinator and a senior from Ucon, Idaho.

The children learn many different skills, enhancing all areas of academic and creative learning.

Parents, teachers and BYU-Idaho students teach the classes.

“I enjoy it. While parents are working, the children have something to do and guardians to watch them,” said Timothy Caldwell, a junior from Seattle, Wash. He is one of the teachers for the program.

Caldwell likes how the program is more than just a day-care and the children are still learning. He was a wrestling coach in Washington. They would have the students do homework each day before practice. He feels this program provides the same application.

“I did my math homework. I don’t have to do it at home,” said Chase Hollist, a first grader, as he tossed his pencil aside during homework class. The bell rang, and then he was off.

Every 50 minutes the children rotate classes.

Names of classes include homework, reading rainbow, radical reader, LEGOS, engineering, craft creations, digital power, ballet, cultural cooking, winter hats/scarves, dodgeball, math munchers, K’NEX, paper airplanes, mad scientist and alphabet station.

“I like teaching other academic levels,” said Aisa Ricks, a fourth grade teacher at Archer Elementary. With the after- school program she is able to teach all levels of students.

The Madison School District’s motto is “providing a world of opportunity.” The after-school program does just that.

Goodliffe worked hard to get founding for the program by filing for federal grants. She explained that the average federal grant is roughly 150 pages and takes about six weeks to process. The grants are Safe Schools/Healthy Students for just shy of a million dollars, and Twenty First Century Community Center worth $300,000.

“I just come. I like that there are games and activities,” said Karissa Weekes, a fourth grader.

“I like seeing my friends,” said Kacee Lee Hoover, a fourth grader.

The teachers are paid, but for the children there are no costs.

“Some kids come from low- income families and they can’t afford things like singing or ballet lessons. Schools have gone so much to math and reading now that they don’t get these kinds of extra-curricular activities,” Larson said.

Two additional students from BYU-I, Ryan Cole, a sophomore from Glendale, Ariz., and Micah Cain, a junior from Rexburg, help with the program. Teachers from Archer Elementary include Darla Reese and Tyresha Hale. The four parents include Gayle Fuller, Candi Williams, Bobbi Clements and Lisa Berry.

“This program has been extremely successful,” Goodliffe said.

The after-school program is offered at other Idaho elementary schools, including Burton Elementary, Lyman Elementary, Kennedy Elementary, Madison Middle School and Madison Junior High.