After-School Programs are Making a Difference in the Lives of Springfield Students
The school bell rings. Children hurriedly stuff papers into their backpacks and head out the classroom doors. Students that live in inner city Springfield seldom come home to an inviting aroma of cookies and milk after school. Many neighborhoods in this area feature paint-chipped houses, cracked sidewalks, and violence on the streets. With working parents, most students are faced with two options: being home alone or attending after-school programs.
Afterschool Alliance, a national voice for after-school programs, reports that over 11 million children are left to care for themselves after the school day ends. They also say that youth are statistically more likely to experiment with drugs, sex and crime on weekday afternoons.
Public and private establishments in Springfield are seeking to lessen these odds by giving students a safe place to spend their afternoons. The most common programs are directly connected to the schools. In the Springfield City school district, School Age Child Care provides before- and after-school care for elementary students. “Our mission is to support the academic, physical, social and emotional growth of the children in our care,” says SACC director Karri Kiss.
The doors open at six o’clock sharp. Students yawn and stagger in, as parents say their goodbyes and leave for work. Board games are scattered across tables. Some students eagerly grab crayons and let their creativity flow. Others begrudgingly hold pencils, trying to concentrate on last-minute homework.
Most students can’t wait until seven o’clock. After an hour of quiet time, they are given free reign of the school gymnasium. After winding down from running and playing, students eat breakfast and head to their classrooms.
After school hours, the program resumes. The board games are laid out, homework is completed, and small group activities begin. Students who stay late enough eat supper and are dismissed at seven o’clock.
“It keeps kids off the streets and out of potential trouble; a place to go instead of being home alone,” Kiss says regarding the benefits SACC offers students. “It provides support and development to children, teaching them emotional and social skills that they may not get at home.”
Many after-school programs target elementary children. Yet older students can benefit from them just as much, if not more than their younger peers. In Springfield, few programs focus on middle and high schoolers, but the ones in existence have seen incredible success.
On the south side of downtown Springfield stands an impressive, early twentieth century building modeled after the Library of Congress. The former South High School facility was recently renovated for modern, educational use. The exterior still boasts original gray masonry, beautiful arched entryways with staircases, and its legendary white dome.
A significant portion of the old South High is the Dome: Springfield’s Center of Innovation. The Dome was launched in collaboration with four area schools: Springfield High, Shawnee, Global Impact STEM Academy and Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center.
“Around 2015, the district was looking for ways to give students another way to learn outside the classroom,” says Amy Stacy, connected learning coordinator for the Springfield City School district. “The thought was that if students could learn in areas that they were passionate about, then they could continue to excel.”
The Dome hosts two programs – You Media and Make: Springfield. The inspiration for a nontraditional learning facility came from a visit to Chicago Public Library, where programs like this were already in place.
Make: Springfield offers a makerspace for fourth through eighth graders. Middle school students can attend Tuesday or Thursday evening classes to work on a monthly project. In March, students built Rube Goldberg machines. In April, students will design and race solar boats.
Make: Springfield intentionally focuses on STEM projects. Stacy says that students at this age are trying to figure out what to pursue in life. Stacy says that she hopes these hands-on activities will challenge students to take higher math and science classes. Middle school is statistically the time when girls tend to steer away from STEM. To persuade more female involvement in STEM career paths, Stacy says the program hosts a Girls in STEM event every February.
The high school program, You Media, operates every Monday through Thursday afternoon. Stacy says that between 2-7 p.m., students have a place to go instead of just playing video games in their basement. Students can casually spend time with friends at the Dome or sign up for scheduled classes. “It’s a safe space for them to pursue opportunities they’re interested in,” Stacy says. “If it weren’t for this space, the question is where would they be?”
Students can take workshop classes to learn about cooking, cosplay, T-shirt design, and various arts and crafts. You Media also boasts welding and woodworking shops. Stacy says that students who engage in these hands-on shops are the most committed to attending weekly.
The most popular program at You Media is audio. Students learn from Danny, a local music recording artist. They book studio time and have the chance to collaborate with other students.
One day, as students came to their usual audio workshop, they were met with a surprise. On the screen, was none other than John Legend. The former Springfield native shared his story of overcoming poverty and rising to fame. He also critiqued the students’ audio work and offered his professional advice.
You Media exists for students to “hang out, mess around, and geek out,” says Stacy, explaining their motto H.O.M.A.G.O. More than just having fun, You Media is preparing students for the real world. “One of our main focuses is to forge a relationship with students and the community,” says Stacy. “So that we can support the whole child and what they want to do as they age and move into a career.”
Stacy says that the program is just now graduating students who have been involved in the program since their first year of opening. You Media hosts an annual Career Fair for students to connect with local businesses. By providing one-on-one professional conversations, resume workshops, and mock interviews, students are more prepared for college and the workforce.
“We’re trying to give them a bigger lens so they can see what opportunities are out there,” Stacy says. “Students may only know fast-food as an after-school job, but there are many other options.”
More and more manufacturing opportunities are coming to Springfield. Through You Media, students in welding and woodworking are preparing for these types of careers. They’ve also partnered with Springfield City to offer a course and internship for students to work in the local water waste management plant.
In addition to exploring career paths, You Media offers students an opportunity to give back to their community. Stacy says that Springfield city students are required to have 60 hours of community service to graduate. Every Wednesday, You Media students can volunteer at the Second Harvest food bank. Stacy says that many students continue to serve after fulfilling their required hours.
The common denominator in successful after-school programs is mentorship. “It is very important for children to thrive,” Kiss says. “They need to have a non-parental, non-judgmental adult in their life. They have access to these types of role models in our programs.”
In every field of interest that You Media offers, there is a knowledgeable instructor who connects well with students. “We find from the students that that mentorship aspect is the most import to them and that’s what helps them move the furthest,” Stacy says. “I think everybody can point to that one person that helped them through their youth. We have a number of mentors that are passion-specific and act as that liaison for those students.”
Mentorship programs are effective in public after-school programs, as well as private, faith-based programs. This can be evidenced through the life of Eric.
Like most children, he went to school and had working parents. But at the end of the day, Eric had no place to call home. He made his bed on the streets. His parents were high-school dropouts and Eric had little chance of success in his environment.
In the sixth grade, Eric joined Springfield Christian Youth Ministries’ mentorship program. For the next six years, Eric and his mentor grew close. He began to see opportunities that he had never known existed.
With help from his mentor, Eric learned how to complete employment applications and succeed at interviews. He graduated high school last year, which is a major accomplishment in his family. Now, Eric is considering attending Clark State. His outlook on life has improved tremendously thanks to the efforts of his caring mentor.
“Any city this size is about the same,” says SCYM administrative assistant, Eryca Payne. “We need after-school programs. We need positive adults that are willing and able to invest in kids. Statistics show that if a kid has even just one positive adult influence in their life, it can make a world of difference for them in terms of the way they grow up and who they become when they get older. If we want positive community, then we really need to start investing in the kids.”
Payne is a youth pastor at Westside Community Church and leads Springfield Christian Youth Ministries’ STARS elementary age program there. SCYM doesn’t have an official building, but churches near neighborhood schools often house their after-school programs. Payne says that some schools aren’t close enough to a church, so they do a version of their program directly at the schools. “It’s a lot better when we’re able to be at a church and freely be who we are and teach faith versus trying to walk on eggshells at a school.”
Payne describes STARS as “organized chaos.” In a large gymnasium, twenty kids are running and playing. Balls are flying. Screams bounce off the ceilings and shoes squeak on the gym floors. In one corner, a boy has pinned another kid to the wall. Payne pulls him aside and asks why he’s crying. He says he’s sorry that she is mad at him. Expecting Payne to yell, the little boy is surprised when she gently says she loves and forgives him. “I’m not angry,” she says, “But tell me what you could have done differently.”
Choking back tears, he timidly replies, “I could have told a leader or asked politely for the ball.”
Payne wants students to create their own scenarios and think through what they’ve done, rather than yelling at them. The love of Jesus is shown through her patient and forgiving nature.
In the summer, SYCM hosts a week-long reading program called Camp Boost for elementary students. Many students are directly referred to their programs by the schools because of poor behavior or grades. “We focus on doing homework and building reading skills,” Payne says. “We want to see them succeed and offer one-on-one tutoring.”
In addition to elementary programs, SCYM offers a variety of activities for middle schoolers. Girl Power focuses on healthiness physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Man Power contrasts manhood from Jesus’s perspective to that of modern day culture. Biz Basics provides students with entrepreneurial opportunities and the chance to sell their products.
For Payne, SCYM is more than an after-school program. “I didn’t grow up in a Christian home and we never went to church,” Payne says.
When her friends started going to STARS, she decided to go to be with them. “I wasn’t going so I could hear about Jesus at this church,” Payne says. “But I heard about Jesus and the gospel and eventually developed relationships with people from the church.”
Payne and her friends attended Westside Community Church’s youth group after graduating from STARS. While with the youth group, she went to a summer camp where she gave her life to the Lord. While at that camp, she learned of a mission opportunity in Columbia and spent an entire year there.
“God just put this sequence in play,” Payne says of how her after-school experience changed her life. “This domino effect that would eventually lead me to following him and becoming a youth pastor and STARS director.”
While SCYM does not offer high school programs, they refer students to Young Life programs in the area. Students can also be matched one-on-one with a mentor who stays with them throughout high school.
“Kids want to be known,” Payne says. “I think so often we underestimate their ability for self-reflection. They know that they want someone to know them. They’re craving an adult mentor somebody older than them that sincerely cares about them and wants to know about their day or just wants to listen to their silly stories. Somebody that will listen and not be too busy for them.”
On April 9th, SCYM is changing their name to avoid being mistaken for Springfield Christian School. In a few weeks, they will be known as Springfield City Youth Mission. The acronym will remain the same, but the new name shows a focus on ministering to the entire city of Springfield.
After-school programs are making a difference in the lives of children across Springfield. Through hands-on activities and mentorship from caring adults, students are gaining opportunities that will allow them to better serve their community, now and in the future.