Students living in the South Estes housing district of Chapel Hill now have an after-school program to help meet grade-level standards.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA teamed up with the Town of Chapel Hill to launch the full-time intensive after-school program at the South Estes Community Connect Center. The partnership allows the after-school program to make use of the town’s facilities and resources, such as computers.
The program is free and provides academic support and homework help for participating students.
Funded by the town and through scholarship funds raised by the YMCA, the program is targeted at students from first through fourth grade. Participating students come from families who would otherwise be unable to pay for extra help or general district after-school programs, according to Alexander Mayfield, youth director at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA.
"There is a huge achievement gap when it comes to literacy rates and kids need this this kind of extra help to meet their grade-level standards," Mayfield said.
“(Through the program) we’re able to really connect with the town to do something this important, and in Chapel Hill, I think that many times people don’t know there’s a need for this type of work,” Mayfield said.
Mayfield said it's important to spread awareness about programs like this.
“It’s really important that people have an awareness that there’s always the need for help, for anyone to get involved,” he said.
Jeff Nash, spokesperson for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools said after-school programs serve a variety of purposes and make a wonderful contribution to a student’s educational experience.
