Beyond the Classroom

Extracurricular activities are a great way for students to participate in a safe and productive environment after school has ended. When the bell rings, it doesn’t mean your child’s day is over. In fact, that time of the day typically is the most stressful because of trying to get your child home safely and in a timely manner. That time after school is filled with ample opportunities for your child to continue their development and save you the hassle of picking up your child when the car line becomes messy. After school activities are shown to provide a number of benefits for your child. Getting involved in activities is shown to help children be more extroverted and responsible. Children are overall happier and healthier when they are engaged in things they enjoy doing. Lets discuss some of the greatest benefits that Beyond the Classroom after-school activities have to offer. 

Our Beyond the Classroom (BTC) program provides emotional stability and overall happiness.  Relationships in and out of school are crucial to your child staying consistently emotionally secure. The relationship your child forms with their teacher or other staff members are nurtured in after school programs. Participating in an after school program can become a time that a child can learn how to interact with others, develop interpersonal skills, and learn how to be respectful toward others. Activities promote practicing good character traits as well as teamwork. Forming a strong bond between teacher and student will make them feel more comfortable. Being able to trust adult figures in school makes them more willing to ask questions or express problems they are having. Opening up this dialogue between a child and a trusted adult has prevented children from having to deal with things like bullying, low self esteem, or issues at home, on their own.

The BTC program also has helped our youth to increases in academics and their test scores.  Children are shown to be more involved in school and achieve better grades if they participate in activities outside of the classroom. Youth.gov* states that “a national evaluation found that over 40 percent of students attending 21st Century Community Learning Center programs improved their reading and math grades, and that those who attended more regularly were more likely to make gains (Naftzger et. al., 2007).” Better grades means more confidence, higher self-esteem, and a desire to continue to succeed. Activities are so beneficial to academics because they offer children an outlet outside of studying and school that they can do well in. They are also practicing their use of proper time management. When homework and an activity is on their plate, children quickly learn how to multitask and make the best use of their time. After-school programs can push them to be their best in all aspects of their life, not just in the classroom.

After-school activities keep children on a path toward success. They allow your child to find what they are passionate about and strive to do their best in it. Getting them involved helps to ensure their safety, productivity, and long-term happiness. The time they spend doing a healthy activity will teach them to make good decisions later on in their life. Making the most out of their present helps them to make the most out of their future.

Will you help us create more opportunities for our youth to participate in after school and enrichment activities?