Learning doesn’t end once the regular school day is over.  Children will continue to use the world around them to find opportunities, recognize threats, and will try to understand how it relates to them, before, during, and after school.  These things will essentially shape their character and how they see the world.  Therefore, it’s vital to fill this time with positive afterschool learning experiences.  Afterschool learning programs are a great way to help guide children on their developmental journey.

According to youth.gov, the benefits of afterschool learning programs include

• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
• Academic Support
• School Participation
• Safety
• Support for working families
• Nutrition and physical activity
• Work-Based Learning

Let’s break down each of these benefits to better understand why they are essential elements in developing our children into successful, productive, and happy adults.

SEL is about building and developing the skills necessary to effectively manage social situations that are inevitable throughout one’s life.  It involves the process of establishing and building upon a healthy foundation, which is essential in supporting socially intelligent individuals.  This is important in building societies with socially competent and empathetic leaders.

Academic support is a benefit, as afterschool programs provide some sort of tutoring support for children who need extra attention in specific areas outside of regular school hours.  Tutoring has been a proven method to strengthen a child’s ability to succeed in different academic subject areas.

School participation such as attendance and dropout rates improve when children are involved in viable afterschool programs.

Safety is a benefit commonly overlooked in utilizing afterschool programs.  Such programs are often led by volunteers who are either retiring from, currently in, or seeking to enter into working for an educational institution.  Unsupervised children can be exposed to unsafe environments that can hinder healthy development.

Support for working families is another great benefit offered through afterschool programs.  Parents often need to work long hours to provide for their families.  Afterschool programs help provide peace of mind for working adults by giving their children a safe learning environment while they work to provide.

Nutrition and physical activity are very important benefits.  Children need a healthy and active lifestyle to grow into productive, and healthy citizens.  Healthy habits begin forming at an early stage in development and afterschool care can provide children with the tools and information they need to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Work-based learning is another essential element of afterschool learning.  Children can be exposed to more technical, hands-on experiences through adequate afterschool programs.  Gainful employment is a social requirement for a successful adult life within our society.  Early training can help build a child’s enthusiasm and respect for having technical skills.

Now that we understand the importance of enrolling children in afterschool care, let’s explore what to look for in a good program.

The qualities one should look for when searching for a good afterschool program include

• Builds self-esteem and self-care skills, both mentally and physically
• Builds social skills
• Promotes diversity
• Provides tutoring to improve academic performance
• Provides physical activities
• Provides healthy afterschool snacks
• Encourages quiet time to develop good study habits
• Promotes participation in extracurricular activities

The Empowerment Station Academy’s afterschool program is a full service that provides everything from transportation service to nutritional meals and snacks and tutoring.

ESA has a professional team of licensed teachers on staff who are committed and passionate about providing the best after-school care in a setting that caters to children with diverse family and economic backgrounds. Regular afterschool care is scheduled from 2 pm – 6 pm Monday- Friday.

This program provides the basic benefits of a good afterschool program, as well as additional advantages like full-service care during spring break and holidays when regular schools are closed.  ESA provides a nutritionally balanced breakfast, lunch, and snack daily for students in the program when schools are typically closed.

ESA provides transportation from your child’s school and supervision between critical hours where many parents are not available due to work-related responsibilities.

Parents can work more efficiently with the peace of mind knowing their child is in a safe environment with full supervision, while learning, and developing critical life skills.  They also have direct access to licensed educators who can tutor and guide them to success in different subject areas.

A good afterschool program should be an all-inclusive service that leaves parents and guardians worry-free by providing a safe, educational environment where their children can thrive.  ESA prides itself on providing a secure and fun space for learning and growing. It is a safe haven for children, while parents and guardians work to provide the necessary essentials for a healthy unit.

ESA’s afterschool program is a collaborative educational asset to parents seeking to provide a safe and productive environment for their growing school-aged children.  The program provides many benefits, but what encourages the faculty and staff at ESA the most is the positive feedback they receive from both children and parents citing exponential growth in various developmental areas.