SNBC's afterschool programs include a variety of project-based learning activities supporting homework, language arts, creative arts, IT skill development and civic engagement.

Currently, SNBC's Afterschool Programs engage nearly 700 participants each day in elementary, middle and high school programs.  There are waiting lists at each site that total more that 250 children and middle school youth. All programs are offered free of charge for these youth and their families.

The Goals of SNBC's afterschool programs:

• To help youth meet the California Department of Education's Content Standards through the quality curriculum
• To prepare youth for 21st century and provide real-world skills, and career development
• To enhance positive youth development that supports learning in a safe environment, and promotes a strong relationship with parents and teachers, and community involvement

Program Activities

Project-based learning "clubs" employ a range of experiential approaches. All the clubs are encouraged to integrate technology based on state goals and standards. In addition to homework assistance, the clubs include diverse activities such as Movie-Making, Game-Making, Robotics, Urban Dance, and Get Global. To accomplish the goals of each club, participants use a high-speed Internet connection and a variety of technologies and software including iMovie, FruityLoops Studio, Adobe Photoshop and the Microsoft Office suite.

"Our instructors are knowledgeable about the State Content Standards. First, they choose a standard to address what they want to do formally in their clubs. While setting the standard-specific goals, they also design learning objectives for their project clubs based on youth development and specific technology standards."

 

Kristin Moran, ASLC Curriculum Developer

Every project-based learning club addresses at least a few school subjects. Practically every club has a strong English language and technology component. In addition, clubs like Robotics have a strong math/science component as participants program Lego 'robots' by utilizing basic geometry, physics, math models and computer programming models. The Get Global club focuses on issues facing the world today and how they affect people on a local, national, and international level. Urban Dance addresses content from both social studies and math angles. Participants learn, for example, about break dancing as part of hip-hop culture and how it has evolved over time. And when the young people are performing the basics of break dancing, they use addition and division patterns to keep rhythm and visualize the overall pattern of the dance form.

SNBC AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
Learn more about the activities and schedules of the following programs: