After School Programs offer children opportunities for growth and exploration outside of the traditional school day.
Carver Center’s After School Program (CAP) provides children in Port Chester schools with a unique opportunity to learn and engage with their peers in a safe and positive space after the bell rings at 3pm.
Each year, over 640 students attend and benefit from our after school program curriculum which focuses on academic skill building, enriching activities meant to stretch young minds, and healthy nutritious meals to fuel growing bodies.
Increased Academic Performance
A national evaluation found that over 40 percent of students attending 21st Century Community Learning Center programs improved their reading and math grades, and those who attended more regularly were more likely to make gains (Naftzger et. al., 2007). Additionally, children who participate in after school programs are 20% less likely to drop out of school than non-participants.
Carver Center’s CAP program is taught by New York State Certified Teachers, many of whom are teachers during the school day, who encourage students to complete their homework on a daily basis and ask for help when necessary. These teachers also plan academic activities designed to stretch learning further and deeper than the school day allows.
Health and Nutrition
After school programs can play an important role in encouraging physical activity and good dietary habits. Participation in after school programs has been associated with positive health outcomes, including reduced obesity (Mahoney, J., Lord, H., & Carryl, 2005).
CAP participants receive a balanced dinner daily, and participate in physical activity and recreation on a weekly basis. Some of those in our CAP program also take part in nutrition courses or cooking classes, providing them with valuable life skills.
Children in after school programs, especially our middle school CAP Students, hone their leadership skills. Middle School participants create their own projects based on their interests in their ‘Design Studios’ and plan, create and implement their own projects throughout the semester. This format allows participants to take ownership and develop leadership skills which set them up for success in the future. To celebrate their accomplishments, CAP hosts two annual exhibitions of student work, which attract huge audiences of proud parents, community representatives and school personnel.
Keeps Kids Safe
After school participants are 30% less likely to be involved in criminal activity than non-participants. Many violent crimes committed by youth occur between the hours between 3-7pm. With parents working longer days, these are often the hours when children are home alone or unsupervised, as 1 in 5 children do not have someone to care for them after school. Simply by attending an after school program, children are less likely to commit or be victims of violent crimes as they are occupied and supervised during these hours. After school programs not only benefit children, but communities as well.