2008 Woodie Awards
A place for teens
After-school program set up for McKinleyville youth
Terria Smith
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Community
Many McKinleyville teens not in a tutorial program or extra-curricular sport are left to fend for themselves after school. The McKinleyville School District and the Church on the Rock are working on a solution by opening an after-school program.
"[An after-school program] would definitely be useful to me and my grandkids. Plus the working moms, some have to leave work to come get their kids," said McKinleyville resident Tom Davis.
Matthew Lemen, who was hired last August to organize a youth center for students at McKinleyville Middle and High School, said that right now there is only after-school care available for kids in elementary school.
"The middle school has a tutorial program, but it's limited to an hour a day to families who qualify," Lemen said.
So far, Lemen said they have raised $8,500 in grants and hope to receive a 21st Century grant through the Humboldt County Office of Education. If the program gets the grant, they will receive $80,000 a year for the next five years to operate as well as expand the tutorial program at the middle school. Lemen said they also hope to raise between $10,000-15,000 during a fundraiser in May.
"We've also been asking for corporate sponsorships," Lemen said.
Many people in the McKinleyville community support a teen center.
"It would be better than being at home alone or being somewhere unsupervised," McKinleyville resident Katie Morris said.
Lemen said they already have a host facility at the old HealthSport building on Central Avenue, and have arranged for the school bus route to stop at the center.
Lemen said the facility would function as a youth center during the school week and as a church on the weekend. He said this is because the McKinleyville Youth Center support campaign is partnered with the Church on the Rock, and the money is being pooled together.
Although the program will start in August, a primary concern is how many students the program will be able to serve.
"The more money we raise, the more kids we can support," Lemen said.
"[An after-school program] would definitely be useful to me and my grandkids. Plus the working moms, some have to leave work to come get their kids," said McKinleyville resident Tom Davis.
Matthew Lemen, who was hired last August to organize a youth center for students at McKinleyville Middle and High School, said that right now there is only after-school care available for kids in elementary school.
"The middle school has a tutorial program, but it's limited to an hour a day to families who qualify," Lemen said.
So far, Lemen said they have raised $8,500 in grants and hope to receive a 21st Century grant through the Humboldt County Office of Education. If the program gets the grant, they will receive $80,000 a year for the next five years to operate as well as expand the tutorial program at the middle school. Lemen said they also hope to raise between $10,000-15,000 during a fundraiser in May.
"We've also been asking for corporate sponsorships," Lemen said.
Many people in the McKinleyville community support a teen center.
"It would be better than being at home alone or being somewhere unsupervised," McKinleyville resident Katie Morris said.
Lemen said they already have a host facility at the old HealthSport building on Central Avenue, and have arranged for the school bus route to stop at the center.
Lemen said the facility would function as a youth center during the school week and as a church on the weekend. He said this is because the McKinleyville Youth Center support campaign is partnered with the Church on the Rock, and the money is being pooled together.
Although the program will start in August, a primary concern is how many students the program will be able to serve.
"The more money we raise, the more kids we can support," Lemen said.
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