The Road to SuccessThe Need for a Quality

Community After-School Program

Mollie Eddy

Community Issue

Weldon Youngblood BranchBoys and Girls ClubThis after-school program is situated in a

multicultural, low-income level neighborhoodIn 2010-2011 75.1-100% of students economically

disadvantaged in the Waco areaUSA Census reports that 28.6% or more of the

population in the surrounding area are under the age of 18

The need for a quality after-school program in this area is important for building students up for academic and social success

The Current ProgramThe Weldon Youngblood BranchBoys and Girls Club

3 staff membersFacilities include…

◦Gym◦Game room◦Outside fields ◦Swimming pool

The activities that the students participate in include time dedicated to homework and playing sports and other games

Striving for Quality There are multiple after-school programs in the Waco area Most of these programs are striving for providing quality

after-school activities within quality facilities for their participants

Waco Arts Initiative is a program that has established a reputation for providing quality after-school programs

They believe that…◦ “After-school programs succeed when each child is able to learn, be

it a life skill, school tutorial, or new talent, while feeling cared for and supported. Quality mentors, members, and volunteers are the key to that success.”

◦ “Excellence. By this, I do not mean perfection, but I mean the desire to be great and to make a huge impact and perform the daily work needed to do that. We are always learning, always adapting, always thinking of things we can change to improve.”

Staying With the FamiliarThe Weldon Youngblood Branch Boys and

Girls Club is not currently seeking to improve◦The program lacks a desire for improvement

and the desire to seek for excellence They expressed…◦That they do not need to make any changes to

the current program besides improving the function of the heating and cooling systems within the facilities

◦There is no vision for how to provide a better program in which the students can grow

A New Perspective of the Community

I have gained the realization that the issue is not about placing blame on any number of people, but it is about making a positive change towards providing a safe place for kids in the community.

Through a study of the social, cultural, and economic community that surrounds the Boys and Girls Club, I gained a great amount of knowledge about their environment.

This knowledge helped me to form the new perspective that this environment is not familiar with change.

I have come to believe …◦ that it is the mindset and the way of life that the staff members know

and are comfortable with that allows the program to remain in the state that it is.

Making a Change◦The costs for after-school programs are great and can be

increasingly substantial.

◦ I do believe that there are ways that the community can begin to better support this program and the children that participate in it daily.

◦ I propose that the program and others in the community reach out to local churches, businesses, and service project programs like Baylor Steppin’ Out, for support.

◦Through these resources in the community, the program will be able to attract new members to help run the facility and give the program the time, energy, and funds that it needs to support the current staff.

◦These changes will help lead the program towards success in achieving a quality after-school program.