AFTER SCHOOL “POWER HOUR” BUILDS HOMEWORK MUSCLE

Children strengthen their learning skills with an after-school homework program.

 Power Hour means that children no longer have to be at home alone struggling with their homework.

Thanks to an innovative partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, students now have Power Hour, a place and time to find tutoring, homework assistance and reinforcement of the subjects they learn in school.

Boys and Girls Clubs of America responded to concerns from its members’ parents, who were seeking help in reinforcing better study habits for their children after school. Power Hour was developed to meet that need, giving members ages 6 to 18 homework support and guidance in an interactive setting.

The Cherokee Youth Center has received $5,000 to implement Power Hour. This interactive after-school homework assistance program developed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for children ages six to eighteen. The program is based on the premise that youngsters can learn to view homework as an opportunity, to work independently – a practice that will help them successfully complete projects on time and enable them to feel positive about their accomplishments.

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization and sponsor of after-school programs, has made Power Hour possible by awarding nearly $1 million in grants to Boys and Girls Clubs around the country in 2004.

“The JCPenney Afterschool Fund has provided us with the resources we need to create a comprehensive and effective curriculum that positively impacts the way kids process and respond to their school work.” said Education Supervisor Candace Crowe. “We’re responding to both parent and child when we develop programs that are fun with a purpose. It makes all those who are part of the circle of education conscious of the needs of our children.”

“My husband and I both work full-time,” says Teresa McCoy, “We are grateful to have this after-school support. We feel less stress knowing that not only is our son in a safe and fun environment after school, but he is also developing positive learning skills and attitudes that will last him a lifetime.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun, thanks in part to Power Hour.