Essay about Effective After-school Programs

Certain parental practices can hinder a child’s academic and behavioral growth. Parents residing in poverty are less likely to participate in in academically supportive *events with their children. From my personal experience, children of lower class parents are not given many choices and are often not offered many chances to be creative or think critically, due to their parents asserting more direct authority over them. I believe this aspect draws a direct line to and serves as the reason for child’s academic dysfunctions or behavior incapacities. There are programs such as education centers and summer programs, but these are utilized by middle class youth and do little for lower class youth.

These programs help educate children to the dangers of drugs and alcohol. In addition, faculty learn the signs and symptoms of these abuses. Some programs go to the extent of having guest speakers, the same age as the students, giving their testimony to how a substance affected them. Many organizations such as the Office of Juvenile Justice and Deliquency Prevention and the Department of Education, who made the Truency Reducation Demonstration Program. These two organizations specifically target areas with high truancy rates and offer training on reducing these numbers through reward programs and other incentives (Henry, 2010). The National Association of School Nurses have created “Smart Moves, Smart Choices,” as an education program for substance abuse prevention. Along with, the National Education Association who provide materials to schools and curriculum ideas for integrating prevention programs into the classroom (Schachter, 2012). Within this curriculum, there are short videos that grab students attention along with guest speaker who have first hand experiences with substance abuse. As a more preventative measure, schools are inacting Suspicionless Random Drug testing that can be administered to students in particular schools. More schools are even going to this type of preventative measures. The Office of National Drug Control Policy is actively trying to gather funds for schools to

A growing body of research suggests that natural mentors, that is, caring nonparental adults, such as extended family members, neighbors, teachers, and after school staff, who provide young people with ongoing support and guidance, play an important role in healthy development, particularly during adolescence (DuBois & Silverthorn, 2005b; Hirsch, Deutsch, & DuBois, 2011; Rhodes,Spencer, Keller, Liang, & Noam, 2006; Theokas & Lerner, 2006). Based on these studies we determine that mentors play a vital role in helping youth navigate the uncertainty of the adolescent years. Studies show that youth are less likely to engage in high risk behaviors ranging from use of illicit substances, truancy, and teen pregnancy. Dropout rates were also found to significantly diminish with the presence of a natural or volunteer mentorship. The use of mentoring programs to improve outcomes for at-risk youth has grown steadily in recent years (Rhodes & Roffman 2003). Resilience research has consistently identified the presence of a supportive and caring nonparental adult in the lives of children and youth who succeed despite adversity and hardship (Masten & Garmezy 1985; Werner 1992). Both natural mentors and volunteer mentors can buffer youth from poor outcomes by (1) providing a

While living in the Residence, we will be working with the Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley in Waterloo. They offer a safe and educational environment to kids, specifically those at-risk, to spend time with their friends and participate in activities put on by staff and volunteers. This gives these kids opportunities that they might not have had access to elsewhere, and it prevents them from finding more dangerous activities in some of their communities. In a bigger city like Waterloo, there is a higher population of at-risk children and teenagers who choose to go to an after-school program like the Boys and Girls Club instead of doing more dangerous activities. Statistically, there are more lower-income families with children who are a part of after-school programs like this because parents are not always available to provide after-school care, which makes them more likely to fall into trouble. We became aware of the need for volunteers in places like the Boys and Girls Club through our own experiences working with teenagers who have gotten into trouble because they did not have this resource.

As a group, we decided we wanted to incorporate the preventive strategies listed in the health promotion textbook because it is essential for people to understand. The question is how can we prevent drug and alcohol abuse? It starts with primary prevention which is defined as “prevention for those who have not used tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. The goal is to prevent exposure to and experimenting with drugs.” (Maville & Huerta, 401). The textbook presents information about how many programs in school are taught from any early age to keep young people away from drugs and alcohol. (Maville & Huerta, 401).This prevention strategy is targeting the kids who have never tried any drug, and the goal is to keep it that way. Secondary prevention

Drug Abuse in the United States has gone down since the 1990’s but now that percentage is starting to increase. Nowadays children perceive drugs to be less and less harmful and are deciding to try hard drugs such as amphetamines, stimulants, and opiates. These drugs are extremely addictive, one try and you could be hooked on for life. This is dangerous, the earlier children start to try drugs the more prone they are to dealing with addiction as adults.

I believe that kids at the age 12years and above can be influenced to do drugs. And that's making them make bad decisions and not doing well in school. Students who are in the 11th and 12th grade already made their decisions but students in 7th and 8th grade are still making theirs. It's important for me to research this topic because people need to be aware of kids any age from 12 years and above and know that it's never too late to prevent drug useage in middle school.

There are risk factors that have been identified to put adolescents at risk for drug use. What can we do as a community to aid in the awareness of substance abuse and reduce risk factors? A prevention program can be a valuable tool. One of the goals of a community prevention program is to minimize their risk factors and increase its protective factors. Development of anti-drug policies in schools and in the workplace are examples of protective factors that the community would benefit from.

When I was in fifth grade, our school required us to take D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) classes, which promoted how to avoid drugs and the negative effects that they have on our bodies. Raising awareness of drug addictions at a young age is important, because nowadays children are exposed to drugs at rather young ages. The simple “say no to drugs” just does not cut it anymore. Nothing is beautiful about living in a world infiltrated by drugs, disease, and addiction. Children are more likely to be exposed to heroin and other hardcore drugs by the time they reach high school. There is a

suggestions and education because it is whether they choose to be in a gang, they choose to try a drug, they choose to take a sip of alcohol etc. Decision-making is the most important role in anyone’s childhood. Whether they are curious what certain substances may feel like or want to feel included or a part of something. Another important role is one’s youth social influences. Is that youth hanging around with the right crowd? Whether they play on the playground or hang by the bleachers smoking. Kids that are associated with other kids that do drugs or drink alcohol can lead to bad influences. Parents are also an important reason why their kids may be trying different substances because they may not have total control over their children and may not care. Many children today, have parents that do not care when their child will come home at night, may not care what they eat, what time they go to bed or who they hangout with. Parenthood is a very significant role in any of their child’s childhood and upbringing. Although Drug Abuse Resistance Education is there to educate young children and teach what the right choices you should make when offered a drug, alcohol, be in a gang, a smoke and many other potential dangers, it does not work on all children due to their decision-making influenced by the social factors, environmental factors and parenting.

253). The program that Gottfredson et al. evaluated was the Maryland’s After School Community Grant Program (MASCGP). “Fourteen programs participated in the outcome evaluation of this initiative during the 1999-2000 school year” (Gottfredson et al., 2004, p. 256). The aim of this study was to reduce “unsupervised time during the after school hours,” discourage positive “attitudes towards substance use and illegal behavior,” limit peer negative influence, promote academic performance, and improve social skills (Gottfredson et al., 2004, p. 256). Every program “offered academic assistance, social skills training and recreational or enrichment activities aimed at retaining the youths in the program” (Gottefredson et al., 2004, p. 256). Some of the programs even offer special activities including, sailing, entrepreneurship, soccer, and karate. Participants filled out a “special version of the What About You? Survey at the beginning and end of the school year” to measure students’ delinquent behavior, rebellious behavior, drug tendencies, involvement in constructive activities, social skills, positive peer association, and peer drug models (Gottefredson et al., 2004, p.

Montgomery County After School Program caters to children ages 5-11 years of age. The Mid County Center After School Program receives children from Bel Pre and Strathmore Elementary Schools. Both schools are considered Title I, which means that the school has a majority of children from low-income families. The school provides free breakfast and lunch to all students. Bel Pre and Strathmore Elementary School receive funding from Elementary and Secondary Education Act to assist the schools in meeting the state standards for Academics. As a part of that, it means ensuring that hunger and family income pose as little barrier as possible to receiving a quality education.

Generally, after school programs are ran by schools, faith-based, or community-based nonprofit organizations. Most programs are held directly after school, but can also be held on weekends, over breaks or vacations, or on evenings. It is important to define what the purpose of the program is going to be, whether it be academics, sports, special interests, or cultural activities. Some other key factors of an after school program are high levels of children involvement, a mix of academic and non academic skill building activities, and positive relationships between staff and children. Successful programs have dedicated staff and structured routines for the children. When after school programs are ran successfully, the children involved will receive positive benefits and skills they will be able to use to better their future.

For those who are growing up in the Corner neighborhood, truancy is a common factor among several teens and young children. The Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and its frequent visitors could benefit from a prevention/promotion program that focuses on graduation incentives for students. While the MLK Jr. Center is an appropriate outlet for after school, a program that expands the center past its current

Do you believe that the background that adolescents extend from should place limits on their success? Your answer is most likely no. After school programs are one way to support and positively influence adolescents as a whole where externalizing circumstances may present obstacles. After school programs are essential for at-risk adolescents, because they provide social, behavioral, and academic benefits. The After School Alliance’s 2014 America After 3pm Report notes that as of 2014, eighteen percent of juveniles in the United States are active in after school programs, a three percent increase since 2009, and just short of twenty-five percent of families are dependent