Educare is a non-profit organization that hosts after-school programs, providing programming to students free-of-charge.
Educare provides the students at AJMS a place to stay after the bell rings. When the bell first rings, students sit on the benches on the patio for about 30 minutes talking to friends or eating the food provided. Then after that time, students are directed into rooms by grade and they have time to either finish their school work or to read. Once everyone finishes, activities are set up for students by Educare staff.
Activities at Educare
Some activities Educare provides students after school are video games, nails, painting, cooking, bracelets, etc. Students are separated by grade and put into classrooms with one of these activity options. The Educare staff that are in charge of these activities are Mr. Eddie, who is usually in charge of the video games, and Mr. Sebastian, who does painting, Ms. Anahi who in typically in charge of the gel-x nail club and JoAnthony who is in charge in teamworks club.
Student opinions on Educare
We interviewed Mike Aju, one of the students that stays after school, and asked him what his thoughts about the program were.
He said, “Educare is fun. I like the many clubs and activities that they have. I think they could add a dance club. I feel like that would be something fun.”
Another student we interviewed about their Educare experience was Melisa Almazan.
She said, ” Educare is fun…sometimes. It’s ’cause the kids are talking a lot because they are having fun and I’m just sitting in the corner. Educare is cool though. The staff are nice and the activities are requests that the students give them.”
Educare staff experience
We interviewed Ms. Belen, the site coordinator, and asked her some questions about her experience in Educare and why she enjoys working with the program.
She said, “I enjoy working with youth and after school activities are fun. I like that we get the freedom to change the clubs and classes to fit your guys’ wants, needs and interests. My responsibility is that I’m site coordinator so I arrange your guys’ clubs and I order the supplies. I like working with youth because you guys are easily influenced so you guys need all the good influence you can get.”
