There are many ways for educational programs to respond to the current challenges facing youth. The After School Literacy Program offers extended learning opportunities, a safe and nurturing environment, healthy snacks, positive adult role modeling, and opportunities for social interaction. We are making a difference, and we have the test results to prove it. The goal of the After School Literacy Program is to teach reading, writing and oral skills that will increase proficiency,
especially to students who are in need of additional help, but are not able to access this type of program due to economics. The students targeted for this program are low-income youth, who are
demonstrating low academic skills. These students need assistance with homework frequently because their parents do not speak English. Also, many parents or guardians are not home after school or in the evening due to their work schedules. The After School Program is staffed with local certified teachers. We have designed the After School Literacy Program to provide the necessary autonomy for success. While a cookie cutter approach may make evaluation easier, success with children is our goal and we have found this occurs when flexibility in programming is utilized at each school location.