Register now and save a spot for the Y After School program this school year

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – With only a few weeks prior to the first day of school, the YMCA is encouraging parents to go ahead and register their student for the Y After School program 2014/2015 school year. Many of the school sites fill up prior to the first day of school.

Providing youth with opportunities to continue to learn and engage in meaningful activities at the end of the school day can boost their academic success. To help motivate and inspire kids to learn, the Montgomery County YMCAs offer an after school program to school-aged children in partnership with Conroe ISD, Magnolia ISD, Tomball ISD and Willis ISD. The Y’s after school program combines academics with play and offers a caring and safe environment for youth who would otherwise be left unsupervised.

During the school year, 15.1 million U.S. children are left unsupervised after 3 p.m., according to the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness advocacy organization. In Texas, 26% of children are left alone and responsible for taking care of themselves. With the start of the new school year, the YMCA encourages parents to make sure that children are involved in safe, educational experiences after school.

“At the YMCA we believe all kids deserve the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve,” said Roxanne Davis, YMCA Community Liaison. “In the Y’s after school programs, youth are cultivating values, skills and relationships and have an extra support system that encourages them to achieve success. The Y after school program is so much more than a safe place to stay. It is a place for children to learn, grow and play.”

Studies show participation in after school programs helps boost school attendance and academic performance and reduces gaps in academic achievement among children from disadvantaged households. Financial assistance is available to those in need, to ensure every child and teen has the opportunity to learn and grow at the Y.

In YMCA After School Care, kids engage in physical, learning and imaginative activities that encourage them to explore who they are and what they can achieve. Every activity is carefully designed to spark your child's imagination and encourage lifelong positive values. In addition to supplementing what they have learned in school, they participate in interactive learning models that engage critical thinking skills, get assistance with their homework from trained YMCA staff, have a chance to socialize with each other and form long-lasting friendships that enhance their development, growth and self-confidence. YMCA After School staff members ensure that children are given a unique mix of activities that focus on developmental assets, which are the building blocks that teach children how to make positive decisions.

YMCA Before and After School programs are located in your child’s school cafeteria, gym or classroom. Y After School Care Programs are offered at most elementary schools in Montgomery County. Care is available from school dismissal till 6:30pm. For a complete listing of school sites per school district, visit www.ymcahouston.org. For more information about the Montgomery County YMCAs after school program, please contact, Stephanie Saker, Regional Youth Development Director- School Age Enrichment, 281.367.9622.