After-school program teaches academics through art
When school lets out at 3 p.m. at Calaveras Elementary School,
the students don’t stop learning. Some of the students do their
best learning outside of the regular school day
– but don’t tell them that. They think they’re just having
fun.
After-school program teaches academics through art
When school lets out at 3 p.m. at Calaveras Elementary School, the students don’t stop learning. Some of the students do their best learning outside of the regular school day – but don’t tell them that. They think they’re just having fun.
The Hollister Youth Alliance operates the Collaborative After School Academy program in cooperation with the Hollister School District.
The enrichment portion of the program is where CASA shines. The goal of the program is to teach and expose the students to arts. They use the four art mediums – visual, dramatic, music and dance – to teach the students subjects such as history.
One of the primary goals of CASA is really forming trusting relationships with adults, said Calaveras Site Coordinator Victoria Valadez.
“Beyond that, we help the kids with homework [and] organize recreation time so it’s about more than just running around,” Valadez said. “We teach the kids the value of sportsmanship and team sports.”
When the students studied music history, they use concepts such as how immigration in the U.S. has influenced and shaped American Music. Additionally, they might incorporate special musical performances in genres such as Blues and Corridos. Corridos are popular Mexican narrative songs.
“The enrichment was like the candy,” Valadez said. “When we set up this program we knew we would help the students with their homework and the recreation portion is like recess, but we wanted to use the arts to really pull the kids in. The subjects we choose to study come directly from the social studies curriculum.”
Emiliano Valdez, the enrichment director and program leader has a background in education and enrichment as well as music and theater arts. Valadez has an educational background. The two had previously collaborated together and knew that they worked well with one another. The two decided with collaboration, they could put their own spin on things and make this more than just an after-school program by teaching through the arts.
“Kids are naturally attracted to the arts,” Valadez said. “So if you can unfold that in them, why wouldn’t you do that? It’s been a wonderful journey so far.”
The lessons the kids learn during CASA work nicely to compliment some of the subjects that the students learn during their normal school day, the organizers said.
The program started two years ago and this is the first year the Hollister Youth Alliance has worked in collaboration with the school district. Next month the Hollister Youth Alliance will introduce CASA at the middle school level at Maze Middle School. The program will be facilitated by another director, but will be focused around the same core values that made the other programs successful.
The students that participate in CASA take the benefits of the program back in to their classrooms, too. The real advantage of CASA, according to R.O. Hardin Principal Linda Smith, is that there are people there to help students with their homework and the program provides a safe place for students to come after school.
“I think for those students who participate in the program, they are able to be more consistent with their homework,” Smith said. “Even if it’s just having someone helping the students with their reading and comprehension.”
Christine White, principal of Calaveras School agreed.
“I love the program,” White said. “It’s wonderful. In addition to the help that the students get with homework and the safe place it provides for them after school, the team leaders and site coordinators really care about these kids.”
Patrick O’Donnell can be reached at [email protected].
