School Age Enrichment Programs Provide Needed Services For Working Parents

For Immediate Release

School Age Enrichment Programs Provide Needed Services For Working Parents

July 30, 2012 - When the bell rings at the end of the school day, children need a safe and nurturing place to go when their parents are still at work or away from home. According to the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness advocacy organization, 15.1 million children nationwide and 30% of children in Ohio alone are left unsupervised after 3 p.m., responsible for taking care of themselves. As a leading nonprofit committed to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y offers YMCA School Age Enrichment Programs that not only help youth learn, grow and thrive, but keep them safe and surrounded by caring adults.   

Combining play with academics, the Y’s school age enrichment programs fill gaps in schools and in the Miami Valley area by offering enrichment through arts, music, physical education, sports and nutrition. Youth in the YMCA of Greater Dayton’s programs receive homework assistance and can engage in arts, crafts, games, activities and more within a trusted environment.

“When the school bell rings, learning does not have to end,” said Tim Helm, President/CEO, YMCA of Greater Dayton.  “The YMCA School Enrichment Program is a great way to keep children not only safe, but engaged in fun and productive activities, with curriculum geared towards homework help and needs of the school age student.”

Studies show that participation in before and afterschool programs help boost school attendance and academic performance, and helps to alleviate achievement gaps among children from disadvantaged households. Youth who attend are known to perform better academically and develop skills such as self-regulation, communication, problem solving, team building, negotiation and critical thinking. It’s also a healthy way for children to stay active and productive when the school day ends.

The YMCA School Age Enrichment Programs serve children in grades K—6 within a number of
public, private and charter schools in the Miami Valley area. Financial assistance is available to
those in need, to ensure every child and teen has the opportunity to learn and grow at the Y.

For more information about the YMCA of Greater Dayton’s School Age Enrichment Programs,
please call 937-223-5201 or go to www.ymcaonline.org.

About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,687 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The YMCA of Greater Dayton was established in 1870 and now offers twelve locations throughout the Miami Valley. www.ymcaonline.org