“You’re getting better grades!”
This was Jonathan Correa’s mother’s reaction to his academic progress, supported by the McPolin Afterschool Program, one of eight key programs Park City Education Foundation funds.
Jonathan told us, yes, he got better grades. Plus, he made better buddies and enjoyed better breaks from school, too! When now-sixth-grader Jonathan started the Afterschool Program in first grade, he loved going to the gym to play dodgeball, doing arts and crafts, and - above all - snacktime.
As the years passed, and classes got a bit more challenging, his favorite things about Afterschool shifted.
“My favorite thing got to be the help with my school work,” Jonathan said. “[Afterschool supervisor] Miss Sheila really helped me a lot when I was working on multiplying decimals. She understood it all really well and got me to understand it.”
PCEF initially funded Afterschool at McPolin in 2007. It expanded to all four elementary schools, and now includes Ecker Hill Middles and Treasure Mountain Junior High Schools, too. The support often provides tangible results for students...
Jonathan added, “What Miss Sheila said came back to me when I was in class and taking tests. And I got better grades in school. I went from a B in math to an A!”
The Afterschool Program includes homework help, literacy and science exploration activities, STEM, intensive reading interventions, art, exercise, and opportunities to engage with the community through a number of partnerships.
“If I was doing my schoolwork at home, I know I would get distracted by other things,” Jonathan said. “But I really focus at Afterschool. So when I get home, it’s really a break. I get to just relax and then go to sleep.”
500 PCSD students are reached by the Afterschool Program, which provides a safe, supervised, affordable place for kids to go after the final bell rings. Studies show that by 6th grade, children from low-income families have 6,000 fewer hours of enrichment time compared to peers - and this was before COVID-19. Now, there’s a race against the clock to avoid the worst academic outcomes triggered by the pandemic, which worsened inequalities and widened opportunity gaps exponentially. Thanks to your donations, Afterschool is a tool the community can utilize to close that gap here in Park City.
"We are able to provide a high-quality program that is open to all students regardless of their economic status,” said Todd Klarich, the PCSD Director of Community Education. “More than half of the students participating in the Afterschool program have scholarships and are able to attend thanks to PCEF support."
Park City Municipal has been providing support to the Afterschool Program for a number of years.
“Raising a family in Park City offers unlimited possibilities, but it’s not easy,” says Mayor Andy Beerman. “The Afterschool Program provides essential support for working parents at an affordable price. As the City strives to work with community partners on issues of social equity, it's great to partner with PCEF, which has been in this space for 30 years."
Afterschool is academically enriching for students and financially affordable for families, AND it’s also fantastic for building friendships.
“It’s a really fun, good way to connect with people,” Jonathan added. “When I first started Afterschool, I made a few new really good friends - and we are still friends at Ecker today!”
So, what about Jonathan’s math “problems” now?
“I still go to afterschool at Ecker,” Jonathan said. “I sorta need their help with math sometimes, but not really too much anymore.”
Your contributions make Afterschool affordable for all Park City families. Access to safe instruction and support beyond the final bell will truly have a positive impact on Park City students for the rest of their lives! We invite you to donate by clicking HERE.
