Weekly Media Roundup: December 1, 2021

Lincoln County Afterschool Center Thrives From Community Support, Idaho Ed News (Idaho)

Throughout the summer, AmeriCorps volunteers, businesses and community members helped refurbish a former church in Lincoln County, Idaho into a thriving community center offering child care, meals, transportation support and free before- and afterschool programs. Lincoln County Youth Center Co-Founder Karma Metzler Fitzgerald told Idaho Ed News that it took a strong community effort to open the center. “It’s not just on the schools. It’s not just on businesses. It’s not just on government. It is collaborative. Because when you have stronger communities, you have stronger kids. And those lead to long-term benefits for everyone.”

Culpeper's Kid Central Manager is Out-of-School Time Champion of the Year, Culpeper Star-Exponent (Virginia)

When the pandemic hit and schools and child care programs closed, Kid Central Program Manager Rachel Palmer pivoted to create one of Virginia’s first child care programs for children of essential workers. While adapting to rapidly changing COVID-19 protocols, Palmer worked tirelessly to offer a high-quality summer learning program and to reopen Kid Central’s before- and afterschool program for the 2021-2022 school year. For her efforts to ensure student access to fun, educational programming throughout the pandemic, the Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School-Time named Palmer the 2021 Out-of-School Time Champion of the year. “Rachel works so hard for the children of Kid Central,” Culpeper Human Services Director Lisa Peacock told the Culpeper Star-Exponent. “She kept everyone safe while still being able to keep the program operational for working parents…. I’m so proud of her and the program.”

Capoeira Program Part of New Afterschool Care Option in Waterloo, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier (Iowa)

At a new afterschool program in Waterloo, Iowa, students are practicing capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that incorporates music, dance and acrobatics. “The kids get a real physical education in understanding what the body can do, more than just regular P.E. classes,” David Pratt, Capoeira Kids afterschool instructor, told the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. “They also get a history lesson, learning about this history of capoeira.” The program also provides homework assistance, music classes and meals.

Grow Local's Afterschool Programs Plant STEM Seed for Westside Kids, KRIS 6 News (Texas)

Through a partnership with Grow Local South Texas, students in the Antonio E. Garcia Arts and Education Center afterschool program in Corpus Christi, Texas grow their own produce, learn about soil and pollination, and more. The goal is to teach students about healthy eating while developing their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. The Center’s Director, Esmeralda Herrera-Teran, told KRIS 6 News, “We've had parents come up and just give us testimonies that their children are actually eating broccoli, eating spinach, eating peppers that they take home from here, radishes in their salad…. I think it's a great opportunity."