Students at J.Z. George High School are getting a dose of real life through the school’s 21st Century Learning Center. The after-school program touches base on many topics that will help students once they graduate high school and well on into their adult life.
Federal Programs Director Sarah Johnson and Librarian Sherry Foster help to head the program.
“We have children from sixth grade on up into our higher grades,” Foster said. “Once they reach high school, they tend to drop off. But, we want to offer programs that will keep them here.”
Foster and Johnson say the program is beneficial for the children who are involved, and they see the improvements that are taking place.
“Our scores and our numbers are proving that this works,” Foster said.
The aftercare program offers culinary arts classes, construction classes, certified physical education classes, and offers tutoring for the ACT as well as for state tests.
Foster and Johnson said high school students who participate in the program also serve as tutors for those in junior high. The afternoon tutoring is broken down into three rotations -- a 40 minute period, a 45 minute period, and another 40 minute period. Foster said the program focuses on the students’ core classes but still offer ways for the students to relax.
In Culinary Arts class, students made “walking tacos.” In English, they played figurative jeopardy. In History class, a student watched a film on World War II. In Algebra, a student received tutoring in Trigonometry. In Fitness class, students relaxed their bodies, souls and minds while doing yoga.
It’s not like an everyday school period; the classes are smaller and students receive one-on-one attention they aren’t able to receive during the day.
“We have teachers on hand who can help prepare students for their tests,” Foster said.
They said they realize culinary arts is a class that most offer in a career and technical center, but J.Z. George doesn’t have the space.
“It’s one of our goals,” Foster said. “We want to eventually have a building that houses our career and technical program.”
But, they said the aftercare program is a receiving feedback.
“We also partnered with the Carroll County Extension Office, and they came in and taught the kids how to sew pillows and purses.” Foster said.
She said the program offers life skill training that those who attend can use after high school. She and Johnson gave the extension office a list of needs they wanted the students to work on and the office comes in and presents programs.
“Our construction class has built chairs, benches in front of the band hall, bird houses,” Foster said.
“They do a lot that deals with community involvement,” Johnson said.
Foster said the extension office comes in and will teach cooking techniques, finance and other real life issues. She said they’re hoping more people in the community and more of their parents will come aboard and become volunteers with the program.
“Our dual enrollment classes aren’t under this grant, but they can still come in and we’ll help them also,” Johnson said.
Foster said as their dual enrollment classes increase, they see more and more students who are coming in to utilize the after school program.
“We help anyone who needs our service. All you have to do is live in Carroll County. There are no requirements.”
Foster said some households do not have access to the Wi-Fi, and they are able to come in and use the computers.
“We have parents who are in school who come in and use our services,” Johnson said. “We help them also.”
She said last year during tax time, they offered resources to the parents who needed them.
“It’s a work in progress,” Johnson said. “We would like to see more participation.”
She said right now, there are 75 students who come to the after school program.
Johnson said the district applied for the 21st Century grant in 2015 and received it. She said the grant went awarded for five years, but after funds were mismanaged on the state level, they were cut from the program. She said they reapplied for the program and were recently awarded.
The after school program has been underway since Nov. 26.
“It’s an extension of the school day,” Foster said. “We live in a rural area. For some, it’s their only way to socialize. We also provide a snack for them while they are here. We have a security guard on campus during that time, and we also do drills just like in a regular school day so students are aware.”
If a parent wants their child to participate and don’t have transportation, don’t worry. Foster and Johnson said transportation was awarded also.
“We have three points, one in Vaiden, one in Teoc and one in the northern part of the county so that we cover all of our students,” Foster said.
Johnson said after Christmas the fitness class will be open to one class a day.
“We have one trainer that comes in and does yoga,” Johnson said. “We have another person that comes in that’s a fitness trainer.”
Foster said there’s also a theatre class and the class is currently working on a play and they’re working on starting a book club. They said the school also partners with Life Help, who also has an after school program.
“We share our students with them. They spend a few days with them and a few days with us,” Foster and Johnson said.
Foster said they are also going to open up yoga class to the community on Thursdays for teachers and parents who want to relax.
