Academics & Education
Summer Component
Recognizing the rapidly changing face of America, our own high
rate of transience, and the increasing diversity within our school
district, we can’t deny the need for foreign language skills. As a
result, the Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Programs have incorporated the
Spanish and Arabic language into our curriculum so that students –
through their exposure to these languages become a little more
equipped to meet the challenges of our dynamic world. Spanish
programs have been set up at the Pratt Community Center and the
Edward Saunders Community Center, where two 30 – minute sessions on
the fundamentals of the language are being taught. There, students
are grouped by their different learning levels so that the most
effective instruction may occur. As in the past, bilingual
dictionaries will be provided to each student who completes the
course. New to the curriculum this year, instruction in Arabic
language and culture has been introduced. Both the language and
culture instructions will be taught to students at the Islamic
School that is located in Lackawanna. By the time students’ graduate
from these courses, they will have gained valuable insight into
foreign language and culture. This will show a noticeable change in
both their home and their school works.
Also new to the academic strand will be instruction in finance
management. It is crucial that students begin to open up their awareness
to issues of business and investment. Our continuing collaboration with
Kaleida Health and the Liberty Partnership Program has given us a
foundation on which to build for overall health of our students. We work
continuously to elevate students’ awareness of both physical and mental
health, including the area of personal hygiene. We employ the Rochester
READY TOOL surveys that give us a scientific measurement of feedback and
show the future need of the positives that are being enhanced by
promoting the physical and mental health of the youths of our Clinics.
Yet another objective of our Clinics is to familiarize students with
various computer software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft
Publisher, and Microsoft Works programs. These students are also
instructed to set up email and create their own websites. Weekly,
children are led through two-hour sessions in our computer labs provided
to us by the Educational Opportunity Center at the Martha Mitchell
Center location.
Afterschool Program
For 27 summers the Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Programs
has provided activities like basketball, soccer, dance, chess, golf,
tennis, and academic tutoring, to the youth of Buffalo and near by
communities for free. Currently, we are expanding our program to include
an after school program.
The After School program will include four program elements which
are:
(1) Educational enrichment and literacy, which will provide homework
assistance, tutoring, and an array of additional services, programs, and
activities that reinforce and complement the school’s academic program
will help students meet state standards in one or more of the following
core academic subjects: reading/language arts, mathematics, history and
social studies, or science; along with a broad range of activities that
will be implemented based on local student needs and interests.
(2) Workshops given by individuals and community organizations that will
target character development, career readiness, lifetime social skills,
finance management, and leadership training.
(3) Recreational activities including youth development strategies such
as character, team building, sportsmanship, tap dance and chess.
(4) Prevention activities focusing on drugs, alcohol and sex.
The after school program will be administered on a daily basis
Monday through Friday from 4:30 pm-6:15 pm, starting the second week of
September and running through the third week in June. |
