The YMCA of San Benito County is extending its popular
after-school program for elementary school- age children in San
Juan Bautista.
The YMCA of San Benito County is extending its popular after-school program for elementary school- age children in San Juan Bautista.
YMCA officials said there are a number of spaces available for the new addition to Y’s After-School Program. The program, which is designed for youths from kindergarten to eighth grade, is not a licensed day care program.
“This is a quality program that allows the kids to go home with their homework done, and that’s one less thing their parents have to worry about,” YMCA Executive Director Lou Bettencourt said.
The after-school program provides tutors and a safe, structured environment for youths to do their homework and to participate in some recreational activities before their parents take them home, Bettencourt said.
“This way, parents might have some extra time to spend with their children as a family,” he said.
Bettencourt said with so many families having both parents work full-time, by the time they pick up the children from school, go to the store, get their homework done and have dinner, it’s almost time for the children to be in bed – so the family seldom has any time to spend together.
The thrust behind the after-school program is that, by helping youths get their homework done before the parents pick them up, there will be a little more time freed up for them to spend together on other things.
Similar after-school programs have proven to be successful at Ladd Lane, Spring Grove and Sunnyslope schools. The program costs approximately $52 a week for 16 weeks.
“We have financial assistance available,” Bettencourt said.
For more information, call the YMCA at 637-8600.
