 After
School Program
WHO
Centro
Nueva Creacion’s Afterschool Program serves 32, at-risk,
low income, Latino youth between the ages of 5 and 13 years.
WHY
It
is undeniable that the communities served by Centro, which
mainly reside in the 19140 zip code, are among the most distressed
in the city. Drugs and violence are a serious threat to
the well-being and future of the children we serve: our area is
home to the second most narcotics arrests in the city and the third
most assaults at Philadelphia Public Schools. In addition, our community
is one of the youngest and poorest in the city of Philadelphia .
According to 2005 census data, over 40% of the population is under
the age of 18 and 50% of the people in our community are living
at or below the federal poverty line. Finally, education is limited
among our community members: our schools are overcrowded, half of
all youth does not finish high school with their entering class,
and less than a quarter of all adults have a high school diploma
.
Despite
the bleak picture of the community these statistics present, our
children are full of positive energy. The children do not
see their community as a bad place to be. They see their
community as full of hope, beauty and strength. The programs
at Centro support the children’s vision of their community and teach
them to be advocates for themselves through their photography.
Centro’s
programs are important to the community on many levels. In the 2007
report regarding the well being of children and youth in Philadelphia,
Safe and Sound states that students who participate in positive
afterschool activities are less likely to be victims of or commit
juvenile crimes, have higher school success and attendance, and
are less likely to be exposed to situations that lead to risky behaviors,
such as drug use. Centro is a safe and enriching environment for
children in North Philadelphia.
WHAT
When
students arrive at Centro they have a nutritious
afterschool snack provided by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. After
snack, students receive homework help.
From
4:30 until 6, following homework help, students have their
specialty classes. These classes may vary from year to
year but they are always designed according to Centro’s mission,
are holistic, and promote wellness in children. Specialty classes
include the Goodlands ®
photography, poetry, yoga, gardening, computers, nutrition, sewing,
etc.
WHERE
Our
programs take place in two primary locations, 185 and 160
West Tioga Street. The bulk of our programs take place
at our 185 location in which we do snack, homework help,
MAC computer time, yoga, poetry, nutrition, and sewing.
At
160 W Tioga there is a PC lab with 15 computers.
There the children get homework help and receive a specialized computer
curriculum related to the school year theme.
Photography
classes take place within the community along with mural
painting.
Students
take gardening classes at our urban garden at Ontario and Palethorpe,
which is just blocks from our West Tioga locations.
WHEN
The
Afterschool Program at Centro Nueva Creacion takes place
during the school year. Program hours are from 3-6pm, Monday
through Friday on regular days. On half days Centro is open from
noon to 5pm. Six days out of the school year Centro is open from
8:30am-5pm when the children do not have school. We offer these
extended hours in order to accommodate our working families.
HOW
In
order to offer age appropriate services to all of our students,
at the beginning of the school year students at are divided into
3 age groups. Students remain in their group for the school year
and choose a group name to encourage ownership and teamwork. This
year the children have chosen: Puerto Rican Remix, which includes
10-13 year olds; Team Dynamite, which includes 8-10 year olds; and
Little Einsteins, which includes 5-7 year olds.
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