At a small wooden table in the library of the John F. Kennedy Middle School in Northampton, sixth-graders Kadin Sparkle, Luke Pesce and Durrel Patrick played cards together after school, relaxing and laughing after a long day of learning.
Out of the 10 programs being offered at the JFK Middle School After School Program this spring, including The Art of Pure Baking, JFK Painters and Pure Arts, the three kids collectively agreed that the Games and Minecraft were their favorite programs.
“I have a lot of games, like ‘Forbidden Desert’, ‘Cheers’, ‘Monopoly’, ‘Find the Antidote’, ‘Quest for the Antidote,’” said Pesce, glowing with excitement.
Formed 19 years ago, the after-school program is older than Sparkle, Pesce, Patrick and all the students that attend it. Drawing 25 to 35 sixth- through eighth-graders each day, the program allows students to hang out with friends and enjoy activities run by volunteer school staff, usually teachers. Activities range from karaoke to Zumba to Minecraft, appealing to as many students’ interests as possible.
Nancy Adamoyurka, an education support professional at JFK and coordinator of the After School program, sees great value in the close interaction of students and school staff.
“It gives the kids a chance to see the adults in a different light, find that they have hobbies and interests that they like,” she said. “We get to see kids in something other than an academic setting and establish relationships.”
Each program, advised by a volunteer, requires two or more students to be interested to run for a session. The activities fill on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pure Arts, a program run by art teacher Desiree Jarosz, teaches students how to create various projects from scrap materials such as cardboard, paper and recycled cans from the school’s kitchen. Each project takes one day, with favorites being tie-dye shirts and rice-filled balloons that act as stress balls.
“Mostly, we’re trying to be creative,” Jarosz said. “I give them the basics, and then they create.”
The JFK Painters were also hard at work last week, painting the backdrop for the school’s upcoming drama show. Two students were assigned to each large paper sheet, working together to paint the exterior of a castle with art teacher Margaret Sleeper assisting them.
With a session in the fall, winter and spring, students have many opportunities to participate. The fall session runs for eight weeks, with the following two both running for seven weeks. The program, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, goes from 2:45 to 4 p.m. The current session began on March 19 and ends May 9.
Although mainly for having fun and spending time with friends, the program also offers a homework section for students that may struggle with completing homework outside of school. A certified teacher who is familiar with all sixth- through eighth-grade curriculum helps students when needed.
Adamoyurka coordinated the program with friend and former ESP Peggy Clapp until Clapp’s retirement in March. Without Clapp and her husband, Roger, Adamoyurka said, the program would not be as successful as it is today.
Both former teachers at JFK, the Clapps played an instrumental role in the formation of the after-school program.
As part of a national effort by the federal government, 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) grants were used to create programs for students during non-school hours as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Originally intended to help students meet state and local education requirements, various enrichment programs complement academic activities.
The Clapps helped obtain the initial grant, setting in motion the plan for the program. They “were the real founders who got this going and helped us make it work,” said Adamoyurka.
The CCLC guaranteed funding for the program for three years, with each state receiving funds based on the percentage of low-income students that lived there. Once the three years were up, self-sustainability was the only option for schools like JFK. Nearly two decades later, the program is self-sustainable and as prosperous as ever.
After retiring from teaching, Clapp returned to the school, but this time in a different role. During school, she worked as an assistant in food service. After school, she worked with Adamoyurka as the after-school coordinators for the program she helped found.
Each program costs $45 to enroll in per session, but the price is flexible. Students that receive a reduced lunch at school are asked to pay $11.25, and those that receive free lunch are asked to pay whatever they can afford.
“We never turn away any student,” Adamoyurka said. “If a student wants to stay, be in an activity, we’ll do this.”
Through parent fees and major fundraising events, the costs for these students are covered. In the winter, coordinators host the JFK Mall in the school. Last year, 27 local vendors set up shop on a Thursday night for parents to shop. Each vendor paid $10 for their space and donated one item to the raffle. The After-School Program kept the profit from the raffle, while the vendors kept the profit from their sales.
The coordinators also organize the JFK Antique Show and Sale each year at the school, which is run in conjunction with the Pioneer Valley Antiques Dealers Organization. It ran March 9 and 10 earlier this year. These fundraisers are key because the program receives no funding from the city or school system, the coordinators said.
Aside from donations, parents have the opportunity to become a part of the program through volunteering, providing baked good at events or joining the After School Advisory Group.