After-School Reimagined – Health and Arts Learning HUB
The HUB after-school program equips students with the tools to grow smarter academically, grow stronger physically and emotionally, and grow together with their peers, community residents, and parents.
The essential priority of the HUB is to provide students with targeted academic interventions in reading and math. Students receive one-on-one or small group academic tutoring for sixty minutes each day led by highly qualified teachers.
Additional academic enrichment exposes students to STEAM-UP, an evidence-based curriculum comprised of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) based activities. STEAM-UP combines individual exploration with hands-on group learning activities and incorporates all seven state STEM standards of practice. Students develop STEAM projects in coding, robotics, and environmental studies, among others.
They learn new skills that broaden their horizons and challenge them to learn more about their community and beyond.
The HUB features athletic, cultural and social enrichment activities designed to help students grow physically and emotionally. The physical wellness program includes daily fitness instruction and training, dance, and healthy body movement.
The HUB incorporates the United Way Fun, Fly and Fit curriculum to engage children in fitness, exercise, and character development. It features ongoing social and emotional learning components that cover sportsmanship, self-discipline, bullying, cyber-bullying, healthy relationships, violence prevention, anti-smoking, and personal hygiene.
The physical wellness program is complemented by an emotional wellness program that encourages youth to discover their authentic selves. Youth learn how to become a successful executive of their lives using an “emotional toolbox.” Tools introduced include an emotional checklist, emotional intellect test, and Loving Me First journals that students use during group reflection sessions.
Lastly, students create a vision of their future wellness in the When I Grow Up program component. When I Grow Up toolkits detail personalized guides that educate students on nutrition and food consumption choices; appropriate physical activity regimens; and, suggested hobbies and extracurricular activities that students can engage in to prepare for future career success.
The HUB program incorporates the Six Pillars of Character — trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship — into all program activities and behavior management procedures. The HUB staff implements Character Counts lesson plans, handouts, and more into the daily academic support and enrichment activities. The Character Counts curricula were developed by the Josephson Institute and has a proven track record to increase student achievement and improve student behavior.
The HUB combines character education with service learning to give students an opportunity to practice the six pillars of character in their community. Students work as a team to develop health-focused service learning projects. They organize public health campaigns, community walks, health fairs, and workshops to promote health and wellness to their peers, parents and community residents. Because of these service learning experiences, students learn various ways to create positive and impactful community change.
The HUB engages parents as partners. Decades of research show that parental involvement improves academic performance and school attendance; increases student motivation; and reduces disciplinary incidents (Michigan Department of Education).
Parents attend Empowerment Workshops three times a year. These events help parents learn about the program and introduce a variety of evidence-based techniques. Workshop materials include take-home activities that help students improve academically (e.g., word games that help with writing and reading comprehension; math games; and reading activities that support struggling readers).
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