<< Back 10/9/02 Extended-day programs fill void By Scott McLeod Last year, sixth-grader Trent Parrott left Waynesville Middle School at the end of the day and went home to wait until his parents arrived a few hours later. Fifth-grader Emily Farrell took the bus to her grandmother’s house. “Before the program, I went home by myself. This is safer, and they help us with our school work,” said Parrott. Both are participating in an afterschool program at WMS funded by a 21st Century Program federal grant. The program is funneling $2.2 million into eight western counties to create afterschool programs like the one at WMS, which runs from 3-6 p.m. Haywood County gets $231,000 a year, and like the rest of the region is in the second year of the three-year cycle. About 40 students at WMS are participating. Seth Cole is the site director at WMS and Chris Lowe runs a similar program at Canton Middle School. Canton is funded through a state grant called Save Our Students. “A large part of what we do is devoted to homework and tutorials,” said Cole. In addition to the academic help, there is also a responsibility curriculum that includes programs geared specifically toward each sex. During the once-a-week “Wise Guys” and “Girl Talk” sessions, the students are separated by gender and discuss issues like sexual responsibility, setting goals, the negative impact of the media and making good decisions. Linda Hyde works with Mountain Projects, which is a partner with 21st Century at WMS. ‘“The responsibility curriculum teaches life and job skills, and it takes a holistic approach to working with these kids,” said Hyde. Cole said the response to the responsibility curriculum has been good. “The parents have been positive. They know that the kids are pulling away from them, and they appreciate what’s going on here,” Cole. Trent Parrott also appreciates that part of the curriculum. “We get together with just the boys and the boy teachers. They share some stuff with us, and it helps. We don’t talk about any of it outside the group,” said Parrott. Farrell, however, said the boys get so boisterous during their sessions the girls can sometimes hear them. “They get so loud,” she said. The whole 21st Century idea was hatched while President Bill Clinton was still in office, said Vicki Walsh, who is the regional 21st Century coordinator. “It was funded based on the crime rate between 3 and 6 in the afternoon. The goal was not to babysit but to provide academic support and cultural arts,” she said. So far this year the group at WMS has been to Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway, has raised money for the REACH shelter for abused and battered women and children, and has visited the Waynesville Recreation Center. In the end, though, the academic support may be most beneficial. Both Farrell and Parrott say the tutorials have been extremely helpful in making sure they finish homework and understand their assignments. For Parrott, the help may have come just in time. “It helps me pass school. Last year I almost failed, but I started Afterhours and I brought up my grades,” he said. Ellen Childers, who directs the Haywood County program, said the results are what is important. “It is accountable, and it is showing positive results. We can show that it is making a difference for these kids,” she said. That accountability may become extremely important. After the federal funding runs out next year, the Afterschool program will have to rely on local funding if it is to continue. And it’s not just federal and state grants that keep the program going now. In addition to Mountain Projects, several local churches and other volunteer groups are making efforts to offer programs during the time between when school lets out and parents get home. “We need to make people aware that these are sound, valuable programs,” said Childers. “They really care about us,” said Parrott. “They’re kind of like parents; they keep after you to make sure your homework is being done, and sometimes my mom doesn’t know how to do the work,” he said. “The staff really respects us so much, they even let us call them by their first name.”