Members and friends of the new 21st Center Learning Center at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield has received a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant of $140,000 a year for three years for an after-school program for Franklin Avenue students.
Chief Executive Officer of The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield William Parks announced the grant Dec. 16 during the School Committee meeting.
Operating Monday-Friday after school, the 21st CCLC takes place at the Club facility after transportation from the school. Participants engage in a variety of activities through the Project Learn program and other curriculum-based enrichment activities. Thirty third and fourth graders from Franklin Avenue are participating in the program, Parks said.
Parks said the grant took three months to prepare by Boys and Girls Club staff working with Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and staff, and Franklin Avenue Principal Chris Tolpa and staff. Westfield was one of twelve clubs in the state to receive the grant. He said the majority of the grant will pay for certified teachers, assistant teachers, specialists and aides for the program.
Student participants describe what they like best about the program to the School Committee on Monday. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Kellie Brown, director of operations at the Boys & Girls Club, introduced program coordinator Ashley Miehm and lead teacher Patricia Mahoney, who in turn gave the microphone to several fourth grade students in the program to talk about it.
Mackenzie Holmes said she loved doing fun projects, watching educational videos and swimming. “Fun fact, Miss Mahoney was my mother’s seventh grade teacher,” Holmes said, to laughter from School Committee members. Mahoney recently retired from Westfield Middle School.
Aleah Rodriguez, whose family moved to Westfield in October, said she liked being able to complete her homework there, watching movies and swimming. “Most of all, I like making new friends, which has made my transition easier,” Rodriguez said.
Project Learn is a holistic learning strategy developed by Boys and Girls Clubs of America to complement and reinforce what students learn during the school day. It includes experiential learning, so that youth learn actively, through a “hands-on and mind-on” approach. Rooted in social-emotional development practices, Project Learn allows time for students to do homework and utilizes high yield learning activities like a digital photography scavenger hunt or building Lego Mindstorm robots and programming them to move with an app.
The curriculum-based activities focus on six priority areas: Social emotional learning, mental and physical health and wellness, STEM enrichment, English language arts skill development, family engagement, and the creative arts. The activities include robotics, yoga and meditation, book club, and swimming among others.
21st century fourth graders Mackenzie Holmes, Chloe Fisher and Aleah Rodriguez, with lead teacher Patricia Mahoney (center), and program coordinator Ashley Miehm (right). (Photo by Amy Porter)
More than two-thirds of the Franklin Avenue students qualify as economically disadvantaged and the resulting lack of childcare or consistent nutrition creates the unique challenge they face. Participating in the 21st CCLC gives these students professional adult mentors and a free snack and hot dinner every day. The Club’s Program and Teen Director Ashley Miehm serves as the 21st CCLC coordinator and works alongside the Franklin Avenue Elementary faculty to best serve the students. Miehm said any teachers interested in getting involved in the program should contact the Boys and Girls Club.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides quality childcare and education to local youth in need. The 21st CCLC is completely free for the Franklin Avenue students, but the Club offers programs for youth from any local school with a membership. Club membership is $50 for the whole school year and members can enroll at any time of the school year. To learn more, visit www.bgcwestfield.org, call the Club at 413-562-2301 or visit the facility at 28 West Silver Street in Westfield.
